Twenty-four hours after Schiaparelli’s Wyenot took the opening race at Cheltenham, it was the turn of his stud-mate Jack Hobbs to sire a winner on the second day of the meeting at jump racing’s HQ.
Intense Approach travelled across the Irish Sea to strike for John McConnell and owner Caroline Ahearn. The five-year-old had made a winning debut in February 2023 when winning his sole point-to-point start and he has since won two bumpers as well as three hurdle races this year. The gelding, who was bred by Swanbridge Bloodstock, also picked up black type when second in the G2 Persian War Novices’ Hurdle earlier this month.
Later in the afternoon Intense Approach’s fellow five-year-old Old Gregorian won for the second time when scoring for Lucinda Russell at Kelso. Raced by his breeder Robert Gibbons, he won his first race at the same meeting last year and has also placed twice in just nine career starts.
