Adrimel wins Ballymore Leamington Novices' Hurdle thriller at Warwick

A winner of two two-mile hurdles in testing conditions at Sandown and Haydock before the turn of the year, he relished the step up in trip to 2m5f in the hands of Richard Johnson.

It wasn't easy and five were still in with a chance jumping the last, with David Pipe's Make Me A Believer providing strong opposition towards the stands' side.

Mint Condition finished with a late rattle to be the final challenger, but Adrimel held on by neck from that horse and it was the same distance back to Make Me A Believer in third.

Lacey said: “It was wonderful. I’m extremely delighted for Lady Bamford and Alice (Bamford) for allowing me to train him, as it was not necessarily on the cards. I was asked to buy them a couple of horses and I was very grateful to be given one to train.

“It’s testament to the horse that he has been winning over two (miles). We were always excited and waiting to step him up in trip, but I saw no need while he was doing what he was doing.

“(But) Haydock really enforced that he needed to go up in trip as he was just out of his comfort zone way too early in the race. The cheekpieces just helped his jumping, as it was slicker.

“He went through the race in a much more professional manner. He was in the right palace throughout and it’s hard to make up ground in the grade on that ground.

“If he had jumped the last he would have won with a bit more up his sleeve. He hasn’t done much wrong, so I’m not going to grumble.”

Assessing future plans, Lacey has not ruled out stepping Adrimel up to three miles at the Cheltenham Festival for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, for which he was made a 25-1 chance by William Hill.

He added: “I think he would cope with a quicker surface, but ultimately on spring ground you might have to go up (in trip) again. That would be the obvious thing to do, I imagine.

“Possibly he has got the Albert Bartlett or the Ballymore, but what is coming over from Ireland as there will be some smart horses.

“He is still a young horse, only six. He is a big frame of a horse that will fill out and improve. The world is his oyster.”