Baron Noir powers into Supreme reckoning with Kempton success

Baron Noir ignited Cheltenham Festival dreams when enhancing his reputation at Kempton Park on Saturday.

Alan King’s six-year-old downed Supreme Novices’ Hurdle fancy El Cairos in a Punchestown bumper last May and although bumping into Harry Derham’s well-regarded Cristal d’Estruval on his hurdling bow, beat a useful rival at Uttoxeter second time around who has since franked the form.

Sent off the 4-6 favourite for the Join Coral Bet £10 Get £50 Novices’ Hurdle, he once again showcased his potential with a cosy two-and-a-half-length success, to give his connections plenty to look forward to in the spring.

Noel Fehily of owners the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate said: “We’ve always thought the world of him, but they have to go and do it and I’ve not wanted to talk him up too much.

“I think he showed there today he travels plenty strong enough and in fact today they didn’t take him along far enough or fast enough and he got a bit idle in front, but I think he’s a hell of a good horse and there will be more to come.

“First time out Alan made us well aware he would need it and the ground was quite quick. He was running under-cooked and ran well against decent horses and in the spring on spring ground I think you will see a very good horse.

“Cheltenham is Cheltenham and he will be going there next, I think. He’s had three runs and I don’t think he needs another and I’ll see what Alan says, but I would say he will probably go straight to the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

“We’ll put him in both the Supreme and the Turners, but he looks like a Supreme horse to me anyway.”

Coral make Baron Noir 25-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.