Jello devoured the mud at Huntingdon to turn the competitive renewal of the Trustatrader Peterborough Chase into a march.
Narrowly beaten by favorite JPR One in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter last month, the Venetia Williams-trained six-year-old had a 2-1 chance and could hardly have been more impressive in the hands of Charlie Deutsch.
After getting ahead of Sarah Humphrey’s stable star Nickle Beck, Jello was allowed to walk in front for most of the two-and-a-half-mile contest, going down the back straight, and the result wasn’t really in doubt after that.
With Nickle Back stopping quickly and Minella Drama never threatening to make any major strides, it was left to Protektorat (6-4 favourite) and Ginny’s Destiny to chase Jello from the home turn, but while both are working hard were in the lead. still lobbied without any pressure.
The Williams runner safely negotiated the remaining two fences and came home almost on the bridle with Protektorat nearly six lengths behind at the second line and Ginny’s Destiny a further seven and a half lengths back in third.
Djelo is 12-1 for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
“I’m so excited. I’m excited for Pete Davies, for his owner Charlie, who rode him beautifully, and above all for the horse himself,” Williams told Racing TV.
“It was a great performance. Going to the end I looked at the back and thought, ‘Now they’re all in trouble.'” He finished behind the second horse before, but it was a complete turnaround today.
“He was third at the Cheltenham Festival in the Turners (Novices’ Chase) and he won three races last year. He’s improved since his focus over fences and hopefully that will continue.”
When asked about future plans, he added: “I don’t know, ask me tomorrow.
“I’d like to think we have two great flag-bearers in the three-mile division with Royale Pagaille and L’Homme Presse, and it’s great that this horse is now stepping up to somewhere near that level.
“He’s been coming off handicaps so far and there’s always the possibility of more than that, but now he’s going to go up quite a bit.”
