Zaynar zooms to head of Triumph market

Zaynar showed the market whispers to be right on the mark at Newbury as an emphatic jumping debut moved the grey to clear favouritism in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.

Despite the protestations of trainer Nicky Henderson in the aftermath, Zaynar had been a notable ante-post mover.

An import from the Aga Khan's French stock, Zaynar is now owned by a partnership including Michael Buckley and bookmaker Victor Chandler and usurped Hebridean as 11-8 favourite for the Collingwood Team Services' Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.

He hit a brief flat spot but was right in the thick of it by the second-last and Barry Geraghty did not need to be too forceful to pull four lengths clear of Walkon.

I don't know where the confidence came from,’’ admitted Henderson, collecting the event for the sixth time in eight years.

‘He has always jumped beautifully but does take an awful lot of work. He had a right good blow on the back straight and I am a little surprised how well he picked up.

‘He is wonderfully well bred - almost too well bred - as he is out of a Prix Diane winner and by Daylami.

‘What has always been the plan is the four-year-old hurdle on Victor Chandler day at Ascot.’

Further credence to his prospects came from Walkon's trainer Alan King.

He was giving Zaynar 7lb and King reflected: ‘Walkon's the best juvenile hurdler I've got.’