IMPOSE TOI secured his first Grade 1 victory in the Howden Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot, completing his rise to the top of the stayers’ division.
Trained by Nicky Henderson, the seven-year-old triumphed after his previous win over Strong Leader in the Grade Two Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury. Despite facing tougher conditions this time, Impose Toi extended his lead to a length and a quarter under jockey Nico de Boinville.
The third-place finisher, Honesty Policy, closely followed behind the favorite, Impose Toi, both carrying the colors of JP McManus.
Impose Toi’s impressive performance led Ladbrokes to cut his odds to 5-1 for the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. Henderson praised the horse’s flawless execution and improvement, expressing sympathy for Strong Leader, whom Impose Toi has now defeated twice.
The victory set a positive tone for McManus as he looks forward to Fact To File’s attempt to secure his first King George VI Chase win at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.
McManus expressed his long-standing desire to win the King George VI Chase and acknowledged the competition ahead, with all signs pointing towards a competitive race at Kempton.
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