G2 winner Keeper Hill another for in-form Westerner

Keeper Hill (6g Westerner-You Take Care, by Definite Article) confirmed himself one of this season’s brightest novice chasing talents with a polished G2 success at Doncaster on Saturday.

The Westerner six-year-old, a black-type winner over hurdles last season, took the lead two out in the G2 December Novices’ Chase and powered home to a six-length victory.

Trainer Warren Greatrex has always held the winner in high regard and said: “Keeper Hill is a very good horse and that was a very good performance. He's always been a very nice horse and he powered clear there. He's a very assured jumper, he obviously stays very well and he'll be suited by better ground.”

Bred by Sharon Ryan, Keeper Hill was bought for £115,000 by Greatrex at a Cheltenham sale in December 2015 following his debut bumper success for trainer Ronnie O’Leary.

Greatrex is huge fan of Westerner and 24 hours earlier saddled Western Ryder (5g Westerner-Seesea, by Dr Massini) to run out an impressive novices’ hurdle winner at Cheltenham.