Bill Joyce announced himself as a serious prospect for the rest of the season and beyond when galloping his rivals into the ground in the Grade 2 Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown on Friday.
A point-to-point winner for Benny Walsh in Ireland, the striking son of Mahler quickly adjusted to life racing under Rules when making a winning debut in a Warwick bumper last January, before readily following up under a penalty at Exeter a month later.
He was subsequently sent off as short as 7/1 for the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in March but failed to show his true colours when weakening tamely out of contention.
With some solid bumper form in the book and scope for further progress over hurdles, Bill Joyce was a well-fancied 4/6 favourite for his hurdling debut at Carlisle last month and readily obliged with a comfortable three-and-a-half-length success.
A further step up in grade and a higher calibre of opposition stood in his way at Sandown but neither would be enough to prevent the 4/1 chance from taking his record to two from two over hurdles.
Despite racing freely in the early stages, Bill Joyce found himself travelling much the best approaching the second last and although the Paul Nicholls-trained Quebecois attempted to keep tabs on the leader, he failed to match the finishing kick that Jonjo O'Neills mount possessed.
The winning distance was five lengths, with a sizeable 23-length gap back to the third-placed horse Pony Soprano, who was the only other finisher in the field of six. Nicky Henderson's well-touted 11/8 favourite Kingston Pride was ultimately disappointing and pulled-up before the final flight.
"We are definitely pleased with the way that he's done that," said joint-trainer AJ O'Neill. "He's a lovely big strong horse and a chaser in the making really so anything he does now is just a bonus,"
"With a bit of free reign, he gets into a nice rhythm. He just strides out and keeps galloping. He's a staying-chaser and definitely one we're excited about. You certainly wouldn't mind having a couple more like him put it that way."
Whilst Bill Joyce looks almost certain to line up in Grade 1 company at some point this season, his joint-handler AJ O'Neill was keen to keep his cards close to his chest when it came to revealing where his next target may lie.
"We'll wait and see and enjoy today's celebrations first. I think there are a few races that would suit but nothing firm yet."
Betfair introduced the winner at 20/1 for the Turners Novices' Hurdle and cut him to 33/1 from 66s for the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.
