What looked likely to be a duel in the fog turned into more of a rout in the gloom at Kempton on Friday, as Nicky Henderson’s Sir Gino made one of the more memorable debuts over fences in recent years, and established a strong claim to be the best two-mile novice chaser in Britain or Ireland.

Ballyburn, a Grade One winner over hurdles at Cheltenham in March, simply could not live with the speed and accuracy of Sir Gino’s jumping in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase, a race that has been won by an extensive list of future two-mile champions from the Nicky Henderson yard over the years. Remittance Man, Sprinter Sacre, Altior and Shishkin are all on the roll of honour, and Sir Gino, who is now odds-on with most bookmakers for the Arkle Trophy at next year’s festival, could yet prove to be as good as any of his illustrious predecessors.

Ballyburn led in the early part of the race but by the time that Sir Gino jumped to the front at the seventh, he was not only clearly relishing his first race over fences but also going much better than his market rival. He went clear on the bit from two out and cantered across the line nearly eight lengths in front.

“He was a bit sketchy over the first, but by the time we turned down the side towards the open ditch, it all clicked,” Nico de Boinville, the winner’s jockey, said.

“He’s so quick back on the ground after taking off that he’s just taking lengths in the air. We knew he had the engine, it was just a case of whether he could put it all together.

“He’s got an enormous engine, but it’s amazing round here as the fences come up really fast, you have to stay and you have to be able to jump at speed and think quickly. I’d say he’s exceeded my expectations and he’s progressed for a fence as well.”

Henderson, who was completing a memorable two days at Kempton after Constitution Hill’s victory in the Christmas Hurdle on Thursday, had a wretched time at last season’s festival meeting in March as his horses struggling with a bug in the yard, but he now has two hot favourites for the opening afternoon in the West Country on 11 March.

“He’s always had a huge amount of talent and this sort of track suits him really well, because he’s got a lot of speed,” Henderson said. “I think he has to have another run [before Cheltenham]. You could say, ‘what could you teach him?’, probably not a lot, but you’ve got to be respecting these things because it is all a little bit too easy for him today.”

Fog was also an issue at Chepstow on Friday and the stewards inspected the track with a delegation of jockeys and trainers after the opening race on Welsh Grand National day before deciding to allow the card to proceed.

In the feature event, Mel Rowley’s Val Dancer, at 8-1, saw off a sustained challenge from Iwilldoit, the winner in 2021, after a nip-and-tuck battle up the straight, and then held the late charge of Jubilee Express by one-and-a-half lengths, with Iwilldoit the same distance away in third.

The win was the first of Rowley’s career at Chepstow, and the biggest by far in her five seasons with a licence. “For our little yard in Shropshire, days like this we watch on the telly, we’re not part of it,” Rowley said afterwards. “It’s unbelievable, I don’t know where to laugh or cry to be honest.”

Bank on Galopin at favoured Leopardstown

Galopin Des Champs, the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner for the last two seasons, and Fact To File, a stable companion at the Willie Mullins yard, dominate the betting for the 2025 Gold Cup and the first instalment of what promises to be a significant rivalry is the feature event on the third day of Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival on Saturday.

The big two in the Gold Cup betting are joined in the field for the Grade One Savills Chase by I Am Maximus, last season’s Grand National winner, but he is unraced since storming clear from the Elbow at Aintree and may struggle to match his race-fit rivals first time up.

Fact To File was a hugely impressive winner of Cheltenham’s three-mile novice chase in March and wasted no time in opening his Grade One account in open company, edging out Spillane’s Tower in the two-and-a-half mile John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown in November with Galopin Des Champs another two-and-a-quarter away in third.

Galopin Des Champs (2.35) is a much better horse at three miles plus, however, and also has an imperious record at Leopardstown, where he has won five of his six starts including three Grade Ones over Saturday’s track and trip. He was beaten in the John Durkan in November 2023 before bouncing back to win the Savills by 23 lengths and while Fact To File should offer stiff resistance, he looks to be the percentage call at around 11-8.

Leicester 1.25 The lightly raced Latenightrumble is the obvious improver in the field and can follow up his successful handicap debut over fences.

Newbury 1.45 Several frontrunners in the field so this should unfold ideally for the progressive Mr Bramley.

Leopardstown 2.00 Hewick, the 2023 King George VI Chase winner, is an interesting addition to the field for this three-mile Grade One hurdle, but Home By The Lee looks a safer option having beaten several of his rivals here at Navan last time.

Newbury 2.20 Poppa Poutine showed admirable determination to win in a decent time at Wincanton earlier this month and could be overpriced here at around 16-1.

Newbury 2.55 The strongest novice hurdle of the British season to date and four of the seven runners are unbeaten over timber. Regent’s Stroll, a convincing winner first time up at Newbury in November, could be the one to maintain his perfect record.

Leicester 3.10 Ned Fox’s 3lb claim may just give the edge to Hunter Legend in a tightly-knit handicap.