Potters Charm makes a winning start over fences at Worcester

Potters Charm made a winning start over fences at Worcester on Monday afternoon, although the 1/5 favourite was made to work for it in the Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers To Follow Novices’ Chase. Sam Twiston-Davies made all on the seven-year-old for Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies over 2m7f, and he held off Dan Skelton’s Jupiter Des Mottes by a length after a tussle from the last.

Jumping was the big question on his first run over fences, and he passed the test, even if he was a little cautious at times. Jupiter Des Mottes, the 3/1 second favourite under Harry Skelton, tracked him throughout and loomed up to challenge at the final fence. Potters Charm needed shaking up to hold him off on the run-in, while 66/1 rank outsider Vicomte Le Brave was a distant third of the three runners, 48 lengths further back.

A Graded hurdler turned chaser

Potters Charm arrived with a smart record over hurdles, having won six of his 12 starts. Worcester was where it all started, when he won a maiden hurdle here in September 2024, and he quickly climbed the ladder. He won the Grade 2 Hyde Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham that November and then the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day.

Last season he added a Windsor hurdle in January and the Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell in February, before finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle in April. A rating of 154 over hurdles means he is starting his chasing career from a high base, and this was a solid if unspectacular first step. If his jumping becomes more fluent with experience, the Twiston-Davies team could have a smart staying novice chaser on their hands.

The Skeltons did later enjoy a double on the card, winning the final two races at Worcester on Monday courtesy of Kykorock and Big Cadillac.