Jumps are no hurdle for Ferguson and juvenile Asaid

John Ferguson’s runners continue to add a fascinating new dimension to the jumps season as the trainer struck with his first juvenile hurdler at Huntingdon.

Known in the bloodstock world as the man who acquires horses for Sheikh Mohammed’s far-reaching Flat empire, Ferguson is in a more privileged position than most start-ups as he has a private base at Cowlinge near Newmarket and has taken delivery of quite a few Darley and Godolphin cast-offs.

Asaid (4-1) was placed in all four starts for Saeed bin Suroor, without looking desperately straightforward, but became Ferguson’s 14th winner under Rules when pulling two lengths away from Nicky Henderson’s One Lucky Lady in the Join Epds Racing Club Juvenile Hurdle.

“It’s going better than I expected, and we even managed two winners in the point-to-point at Cottenham last Sunday,” said Ferguson. “We were hopeful, but he was our first juvenile hurdler and you never really know until they run. He looked happy and the thing that pleased me is that he jumped very well.”

Dual Ascot bumper winner Population has been one of Ferguson’s horses to look destined for better things, but he played down talk of a large Cheltenham Festival squad. “I think we have one or two possibles, but I don’t want to tempt fate by giving out any names,” he added.

Henderson is numerically the top trainer in the country this season and a double at Southwell and two more in chilly Cambridgeshire took his total to 93.

The first came in his own colours in the Epds Consultants “Saving Developers Money” Novices’ Hurdle. Conditional Gary Derwin was aboard the even-money favourite Joseph Lister, who was second on his first two starts for the yard at Ludlow and Folkestone, with his latter conqueror Ohio Gold following up the next time out.

Derwin needed to bustle along Joseph Lister for a brief moment on the back straight but he picked up the bit and drew four and a half lengths clear.

Heather Royale later justified odds of 4-9 in the Epds Racing Partnership “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle.

The petrol gauge of Henderson’s Cheney Manor flickered to empty approaching the last fence of the Sid Jeffcoate – Celebrating A Lifetime In Racing Novices’ Handicap Chase and Global Flyer (9-2) took advantage. “It’s testing ground out there but he has done it well,” said trainer Caroline Bailey.

It was worth Colin and Joe Tizzard trekking across the country from Dorset as Grand Vision (5-4 favourite) did himself justice in the Epds Supports Racing Welfare Handicap Hurdle. Tizzard’s Mr Bingley went off a 5-4 favourite in the Epds Consultants Experts In School Place Planning-sponsored bumper but he came up a long way short behind Barry Brennan’s newcomer Theatrelands (8-1).