Another Big Prize For High-Class Vadamos Gelding

Matata (8g Vadamos - Wattrey, by Royal Academy) picked up another big pot when romping to victory in the Premier Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Thursday.

The Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies-trained gelding landed a handicap chase by 26 lengths at the track last season and he put in another exciting round of jumping when storming to a nine-and-a-half-length win this time.

A multiple Graded performer, Matata was registering the sixth win of his career. Ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies, the eight-year-old was settled towards the back of the field but made headway to take the lead after three fences out. He was pushed along two fences out and came home to win readily.

Nigel Twiston-Davies said: “He's never been at his best round Cheltenham because he's always been so free and then has never managed to get up the hill. He’s learned to settle and got the two and a half miles well today.

“Sam did a brilliant job settling him as he’s still a lunatic at home, but he was cantering at the bottom of the hill and then it was a question of if he would come up it, which he did, which was lovely.

“We’ve been wanting to go this distance for a long time and the fact he settled so beautifully was great.

“I guess we have to think about the Ryanair again after that, but we’ll see what the handicapper does. He could do both Cheltenham and Aintree and he’s a tough horse, he would be a lovely horse to have in the Ryanair.”

Matata was bred by David Commins.