Connections Dreaming After Mahler Gelding’s Impressive Chase Win

Cadell (6g Mahler – Prettyasapicture, by King’s Theatre) appears to have a bright future over fences, after running out an impressive winner of the three-mile Novices’ Chase at Wetherby on Friday.

Unbeaten between the flags for Ronnie Bartlett, Cadell won a novice hurdle last season and made a promising chase debut when finishing third over two and a half miles. Lucinda Russell’s charge appeared to relish Friday’s trip, as he made all under Derek Fox and went clear from three out. He needed minimal encouragement to lead by 15 lengths on the line, with the well-backed favourite a distant second.

“Cadell is a horse we've always liked,” assistant trainer Peter Scudamore commented. “We'd been looking forward to him stepping up to three miles over fences. He won two point-to-points and this was always going to be his game.

“You just dream that he'll eventually turn into a Scottish Grand National type, he likes good ground and stays very well. We're a long way off things like that but they have to be in the back of your mind, you can dream.”

Bred by Mrs Gabrielle Whitty, the Mahler gelding was bought by Ian Ferguson from Killeen Glebe at the Goffs Land Rover Sale for €90,000.