Brian Hughes gave Prince De Beauchene a cracking ride to take the spoils from the highly-touted Salut Flo in a stirring finish to the feature £50,000 Betfred Daffodil Vase Handicap Chase at Haydock.
There was nothing between the two former French-trained geldings at the last fence, but Howard Johnson's charge (7-1) proved the stronger on the run-in to forge three and a quarter lengths clear.
Hughes, deputising for Denis O'Regan, who is suspended after weighing in 3lb too heavy at the Cheltenham Festival, said: "I rang Denis this morning and he said Prince De Beauchene was a nice horse.
"Howard said he was not worried about dropping him back to two and a half miles as he was not slow, and I think he will improve from this. It was only his third run over fences over here."
Posts
