Cheltenham Dream Alive For Wings Of Eagles Gelding

Turn And Finish (4g Wings Of Eagles – Trap Queen, by Nayef) made a perfect start for new connections in Friday’s juvenile maiden hurdle at Catterick.

Placed on his three previous starts for Joseph O’Brien, the four-year-old was sent off a short-priced favourite on his first start for Harry Derham. Racing prominently throughout under Paul O’Brien, the bay was ridden when challenged on the run-in and ran on gamely to prevail by a nose.

Harry Derham expects significant improvement from Turn And Finish, with the Fred Winter at Cheltenham the ultimate aim. “That's nowhere near his best,” the trainer continued. “He'll be much better in a strongly run race coming off the pace. His Irish form also suggests that.

“It's job done, though, and all roads lead to the Cheltenham Festival. He'll be a much, much better horse in the middle of March. He jumps well and travels strongly and looks a hurdling type, and for most of that race he was looking around and thinking what was going on.”