PEAK PERFORMANCE FROM PENTLAND HILLS

NICKY Henderson produced a tremendous training performance as Pentland Hills recorded a fairytale victory at Haydock, on a day his rider Sean Levey scored a double.

Levey was first on the scoresheet aboard Tom Ward’s Double Cherry in the Haldane Fisher Handicap, before adding to his tally when steering the 2019 Triumph Hurdle winner to success in the Lee Thomas Christy Handicap.

The Seven Barrows inmate had not been seen in any code since being well beaten in the 2020 Champion Hurdle — and Henderson was delighted to see him back in the winner’s enclosure.

“It was lovely to see him back — that’s the great thing,” said Henderson.“The idea was to run him on the Flat early in the summer and you could not believe it has been the driest summer.”

Henderson (left) suggests Pentland Hills could soon be tackling the larger obstacles, especially if his stable jockey has his way.

He continued: “Believe it or not, the plan really would be to go straight novice chasing, would you believe?

Jumper

“The reason why he was such a good hurdler is because he is a brilliant jumper — that is why he is a better hurdler than he is a Flat horse. Nico (de Boinville) is itching to go chasing.

“We have schooled him over fences and not surprisingly he is fantastic — so we’ll go back to the day job!”

Levey was stood down at Sandown last week after a saliva swab that tested positive for a prohibited substance.

A urine sample subsequently came back negative, but this was the earliest opportunity he was able to return.

Earlier on the card, Tom Clover’s Rogue Spirit recorded his third win of the season when making light work of the Old Bootleians Nursery Handicap.

The 7-4 favourite stormed two and a half lengths clear of the runner-up, and Clover will look forward to the future for the two-year-old, who could run in Pattern company this season.