21 January 2024 , 17:32
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L'Homme Presse was cut to 8-1 with William Hill for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after making a stirring comeback from 391 days off at Lingfield Park.
An injury sustained in the 2022 King George VI Chase at Kempton Park – the Venetia Williams trainee was in second when unseating Charlie Deutsch at the final fence – ruled L’Homme Presse out of last year’s National Hunt Festival.
But Hills rank the nine-year-old alongside Shishkin as the chief domestic hope for the 2024 running on the back of his two-and-a-quarter-length beating of Protektorat, part owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, in the Fleur De Lys Chase, the pair 19 lengths clear of third home Iwilldoit.
“He was quite laid back all the way and just had to find his feet,” said the winning jockey. “He’s really only woken up when I’ve got upsides and jumped the first in the straight and then he’s really run to the line.
"I didn’t expect him to be quite as rusty today but he’s shown plenty of class. He definitely stays but he’s got speed as well and that’s what you need for a Gold Cup.”
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Williams added: “This has been a long time in the coming. The owners have been patient and it was a proper race today.”
Deutsch ended up on the floor at the first fence of the Grade 2 Lightning Novices’ Chase when his mount, 9-4 favourite Djelo, was involved in a mid-air collision with errant market rival Matata.
The latter went on to finish a half-length second to JPR One, who earned a 14-1 quote (from 50-1) for Cheltenham’s Arkle Challenge Trophy.