I Like To Move It ran out a wide margin winner of the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton

Four runners took the field for a decent renewal of the Grade Two contest, but Nigel Twiston-Davies’ steady star blew the field apart with an impressive performance. I Like To Move It was only able to finish sixth in the Relkeel Hurdle when he was sent off, but he proved he fell behind on better ground in the ride.

Last year’s winner Knappers Hill set about making it all under Bryony Frost, with eventual winner and First Street always keeping a close eye on the pacemaker, but the latter couldn’t catch up as the pace picked up and the writing for Nicky Henderson soon came on the wall was charging.

In contrast, Sam Twiston-Davies seemed to have a lot of horse under him and I Like To Move It was in the lead in no time and had the race in safe hands long before he jumped the last flight.

“I was happy when I turned in and when I kicked him in the stomach I was almost in disbelief when I saw the big screen,” the winning driver told Racing TV.

“That was an impressive achievement.

“Father and I talked on the way down. If you were to race him it would be the International Hurdle over a steep two mile at Cheltenham but we hit good ground today on one of the easiest two mile courses and he looked as quick as ever. He’s an incredibly fast horse at home and he showed that today.

“The two options at Cheltenham are the County Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle. God knows what he’s going to be judged on today, so I think it’s only fair that he goes and tries the Champion Hurdle.

“Obviously Constitution Hill is an airplane but there is a lot of money on offer and it deserves to be there. Going and winning is going to be incredibly tough, but it’s a horse race and you never know. He is still a young horse and we are lucky to have him.”

Nigel Twiston-Davies said: “That was good, wasn’t it!

“Two and a half miles at Cheltenham last time wasn’t good for him but we were certainly hopeful back to two miles today.

“I know we can’t get anywhere near Constitution Hill, but we’re going to give him something to think about (in the champion’s hurdle) and where else can we go after such a feat?

“We were totally shattered when the International Hurdle was over, which he would have won with his head in his chest as you saw today. But he’s back and Cheltenham, here we come!

“He’s up there with the best hurdlers I’ve coached like The New One and Khyber Kim, who finished second in the Champion Hurdle.”

Jamie Shepperd, who owns I Like To Move It with his wife Anne-Marie, added: “We just love this horse. It was our second purchase ever and has taken us on an amazing journey.

“We sat at home and Nigel had a runner in a bumper called I Like To Move It. We watched the race and I texted Nigel after he won the race by nine lengths and congratulated him. Within five seconds of sending the text, I received a call from Nigel asking “Do you want to buy it?”.

“I asked Anne-Marie and she said we’d buy it. Nigel who told Nigel he was the top of the market but we bought him and he eloped in his first race for us here at Wincanton.

“He seems to love Cheltenham, Wincanton and Newbury. We were hit by the weather this year and got the tactics wrong at the Relkeel.

“The dream is to go to Cheltenham now and then hopefully to Aintree. Constitution Hill is a great horse and State Man is from Ireland so the Champion Hurdle is going to be a really good race.”

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