Kalahari King rules supreme in Blue Square Handicap Chase at Doncaster (From York Press)

Kalahari King rules supreme in Blue Square Handicap Chase at Doncaster

10:05am Monday 8th February 2010 in

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KALAHARI King, North Yorkshire’s hope for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham next month, advertised his claims with an imperious victory in the £70,000 Blue Square Handicap Chase at Doncaster.

Ferdy Murphy’s star nine-year-old was making his first appearance of the campaign and was bearing the burden of top weight.

His progress this season has been held up by the weather, as Murphy’s West Witton yard was buried under more than a foot of snow during the worst of the recent cold blast.

That led Murphy to warn before the contest that Kalahari King “wouldn’t be ready to win”.

Sent off at 10-1, jockey Graham Lee settled him at the back of the field before making a challenge in the home straight.

An exemplary jump at the last put Kalahari King in command and he appeared to have plenty in hand in a three and a quarter length success over Oiseau De Nuit.

That saw the horse cut to 5-1 for Cheltenham and Murphy was delighted.

“I would honestly have been happy if he had finished sixth or seventh. We didn’t think he’d win but he’s a class horse,” he said.

“This wouldn’t be his ground. Hopefully that race will leave him right (for Cheltenham).

“I hope he hasn’t left his race here but he seems to have won with a bit in hand.”

Norton trainer John Quinn’s Character Building began his challenge for April’s Grand National by finishing down the field in the £20,000 Pick A Winner With Blue Square icard Hurdle.

The ten-year-old, who hadn’t been seen on the track since winning the Kim Muir Chase at Cheltenham 11 months ago, took a couple of hurdles awkwardly but came safely round – finishing 13th of 16 in a race won by 8-1 chance Sir Harry Ormesher.

Character Building had been one of the fancied mounts for last year’s National following his Cheltenham win but was pulled out in the week of the race with a minor foot injury.

Quinn said: “He seems fine. He’s probably not used to the hurdles. He might go to Haydock. He’s in there, he might well run there. There’s a race at Kempton as well.

“He’s entered in everything and I am pleased to get him back on the track. He seems grand.”