Cristal d'Estruval impresses on chasing debut at Carlisle
Cristal d'Estruval beats Be Aware by 12 lengths on his chasing debut at Carlisle, with Harry Derham considering the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown.
Cristal d'Estruval maintained his unbeaten record with an assured first performance over fences at Carlisle on Monday, beating Be Aware by 12 lengths in the Weatherbys Graduation Chase. Harry Derham's five-year-old, ridden by Paul O'Brien, jumped boldly from the front and is now being considered for the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown in December.
Sent off the 2-5 favourite, Cristal d'Estruval faced only two opponents in the two-mile contest, but Be Aware provided a meaningful test on paper. The Dan Skelton-trained seven-year-old was rated 147 over fences and had shown useful form in novice company last season. He was unable to match the winner's pace and jumping, while All The Glory finished a distant third.
Cristal d'Estruval had not raced for 330 days, having won twice over hurdles towards the end of 2025. He defeated Baron Noir on his rules debut at Warwick and followed up with a 38-length success at Carlisle in December. His absence thereafter interrupted what had looked a promising novice-hurdle campaign, but connections chose to begin this season over fences rather than return to hurdles.
Bought for £400,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point, the son of Crystal Ocean has been regarded as a long-term chasing prospect. His size and scope were evident at Carlisle, where he attacked his fences confidently and continued to draw away from Be Aware in the closing stages. The winning margin was clear, although the small field and lack of sustained pressure make it difficult to measure precisely how far he might progress.
Derham was encouraged by the way the horse handled the assignment after such a long absence. He indicated that the Henry VIII at Sandown is the likely next target, which would represent a substantial rise in class against established novice chasers. That plan remains subject to the horse coming out of Monday's race satisfactorily.
The performance has also brought Cristal d'Estruval into consideration for the Arkle at Cheltenham in March. Such assessments are necessarily early: he has won only one chase and has yet to encounter the demands of a larger field or a graded contest over fences.
For Derham, however, Carlisle provided the evidence he wanted at the start of the winter. A horse whose previous season ended prematurely returned fit, settled into his jumping and won with authority. Sandown, if confirmed, should offer a more searching examination of his prospects.
By TP Editorial
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