Gary Moore's Porticello looks to have a real chance of taking the Irish favourites in the Triumph Hurdle after romping away to win the William Hill Super Odds Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle at Haydock.

Moore's four-year-old ran away to a 17 length win to send a message to the Irish raider at Cheltenham.

Should conditions prove testing in March, then Sussex trainer Moore's Sholokhov gelding can give the likes of Pied Piper and Vauban a real race. Coral saw fit to cut him to 11-1 from 16s for the Triumph.

Already a Chepstow Grade 1 winner, Porticello was sent off the 30-100 favourite and Josh Moore kept things simple in the saddle.

Porticello saw off rival Skycutter at the second last, coasting to a 17-length win which sends a signal of intent for Cheltenham.

Josh Moore said: "I just thought I'd keep it simple and use his jumping and he's done that well.
"He handles that ground as well as any horse can, down the back it's a bit better but up the straight it's very holding and not the nicest.
"The Triumph will depend how he comes out of this and what the ground is like, if he's to run there he'd want plenty of ease, I would say."

The jockey missed a large part of the season through injury and was only on Porticello as his brother Jamie was required to ride Goshen at Wincanton.

"He's actually Jamie's ride but I enjoyed riding him today, he's a pleasure," he said.
"The rides usually sort themselves out without much fuss but I've missed most of this season and it just happened to be my dad's best ever, so Jamie has reaped the benefit"
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