More glory for Greaneteen in Haldon Gold Cup

Greaneteen made every yard as he regained the Betway Haldon Gold Cup and handed champion trainer Paul Nicholls his eighth win in the Exeter feature.

The winner of the race in 2020, he was only fourth to Eldorado Allen last season, but made no mistake this time around in the hands of Harry Cobden.

Conceding over a stone to his rivals, Greaneteen erased any doubts about his early-season fitness as he took the field along at a good gallop.

The strong pace meant War Lord was under the pump as the field entered the home straight and Third Time Lucki was soon beaten off as Greaneteen led home a Ditcheat one-two, with the Lorcan Williams-ridden Dolos coming home seven lengths adrift for the silver medal.

All roads now lead to the Tingle Creek at Sandown, for which he was trimmed to 3-1 from 5-1 by both Paddy Power and Betfair, while Coral make the eight-year-old their 2-1 favourite.

“I’m half not surprised as I had said in the paper that he has been working better than ever and he seems stronger than ever. We were very happy with him and he was very fit,” said Nicholls.

“Last year I had problems with him and I didn’t have him ready, and I knew I had to use this as a prep for the Tingle Creek. Today, if we were coming here, we were going to have him ready and he was.

“I said to Harry ‘if there is no pace, just jump off and go a good gallop as all he does is stay’. That was a great weight-carrying performance. Dolos has run a blinder as he was ready for his life, but he is not the level of the winner.

“When he winged the third last, he just kept on galloping. That was a seriously good performance and puts him right up there. He has never really had the credit he deserves.

“Off 168, it is amazing performance in a handicap. Denman won what was the Hennessy of 174 and that is nearly up there with that. I had one bet today and that was him.”

Greaneteen’s victory brought up an Exeter hat-trick for Nicholls and Cobden following the victories of Outlaw Peter and Lallygag earlier in the day.

Thyme Hill made a successful chasing introduction in the Betway “Future Stars” Silver Bowl Novices’ Chase.

A Grade One winner over hurdles, Philip Hobbs’ eight-year-old had only one momentary wobble at the fifth last, but the result was never in doubt once Tom O’Brien hit the front following the third last.

“I’m delighted and very pleased. The ditch down the far side, he slipped a bit. The last fence he was probably in front too long but overall, it was very good,” said Hobbs.

“He was a little bit green to start with and jumped a bit big, but those are the sort of things you come to expect. He will learn a lot from it.

“He will be a bit more streetwise next time. He (Tom O’Brien) was delighted in every way and thought he will have learnt from the experience, and we will go from there.

“We’ve had a good start so hopefully we can go on to better things. I’d say that performance was eight and a half out of 10.”