Evan Williams has his fingers crossed that Court Royale might be getting his act together after a smooth win in the ASE 30th Year Birthday Novices' Hurdle at Ludlow.
After pushing Kim Bailey's unbeaten Vinndication close on his racecourse debut in a bumper, connections would have been forgiven for thinking they had a nice horse on their hands.
For one reason or another things had just not dropped right for Court Royale (4/1) since then, but he made a mockery of his mark of 110 on this occasion.
Adam Wedge rode him with plenty of confidence and despite a mistake at the last flight, he quickened up to beat Gortroe Joe by two and a half lengths.
"He's a horse who obviously has talent, but he's been a bit hit and miss," said Williams.
"He's been a bit too keen and a bit babyish probably, and it's the first time we've had a chance to come back to Ludlow.
"It was a very good run on his debut. We were giving Vinndication weight that day, too. But he had a fair fall and he probably wasn't a bumper horse.
"He's a work in progress, he demolished the last again, but there's no doubt he's got ability.
"I think he needs quickish ground, he danced around there so I wouldn't have thought he'd want it soft.
"We can't complain with the way the season has started. We're tipping away nicely, that's six winners in the last fortnight."
Favourite backers enjoyed the next three races with Ben Pauling's Whin Park (6/4) winning the "A Plush Flush" Handicap Chase, Henry Daly's Pique Rock (2/5) taking the Thoroughbred Breeders Association Mares' Novices' Hurdle, both ridden by Richard Johnson, and Hoke Colborn (7/4) winning the "A Plush Flush" Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase.
Johnson later completed a treble on Paul Webber's New Agenda (6/1) in the Ludlow Racecourse Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle.
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