Wylie’s reduced string get season off to winning start

Wylie significantly reduced his string to just 20 horses after principal trainer Howard Johnson was handed a four-year ban from the sport, with the Durham handler subsequently announcing his retirement. Wylie divided a select team of horses between British champion trainer Paul Nicholls and Irish champion Willie Mullins and both found the target with their first runner for the millionaire owner.

Prospect Wells followed up a Chepstow win with a second to Steps To Freedom in a Cheltenham Grade Two, and could turn out in the Sportingbet Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury this weekend. Hexham bumper winner Boston Bob cruised to a debut win over hurdles for Mullins at Navan on the same weekend. “I was absolutely thrilled with Prospect Wells at Cheltenham. He had won easily at Chepstow, so we stepped him up in class and he very nearly beat the good horse of Jessica Harrington’s,” said Wylie. “He’s a horse who has had problems and a lot of credit must go to Howard Johnson as he very nearly died after being gelded.

“He is entered at Newbury on Saturday and we’ll see if Paul decides he’s ready to run again.”

The Knoxs also made a winning debut for Nicholls at Exeter, while Wylie is looking forward to seeing other horses return to action in the coming weeks.

“The Knoxs also won very well on his first run for Paul and I think he could run in a race at Cheltenham’s December meeting,” he said. “Quwetwo had a wind operation over the summer and is doing some good work, but I’m not sure where he’ll run. Back In Focus has been doing some strong cantering with Willie and hopefully he’ll run before too long.”

Dual Grade One winner Tidal Bay also joined Nicholls and he will be geared towards a second tilt at the Grand National.

Meanwhile, James Ewart’s “fragile” but very able Best Lover was a convincing winner of yesterday’s longshotking.com Handicap Chase at Wetherby.

Borders trainer Ewart struck for the second successive day with his only runner as 100-30 shot Best Lover overcame joint top-weight and a 371-day absence since his last run – the second of his two previous career victories on his chase debut at Hexham.

The nine-year-old moved up ominously out of the back straight to take control and retain his advantage by a length and three-quarters at the line from Woody Waller in the feature race on the card.