LOCAL trainer Alan King hopes that his highly-rated charge Yanworth will emerge as an improved horse after being dispatched in one of the biggest shocks of the week so far at the Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old, trained at King’s Barbury Castle stables, near Wroughton, was tipped as a banker for today’s Neptune Novices Hurdle.

But despite looking on-course to deliver on his pre-race promise after scaling the penultimate flight, Yanworth and jockey Barry Geraghty began to be reeled in by the insatiable Yorkhill.

After overcoming a host of traffic problems, Irish six-year-old Yorkhill stormed into the ascendancy and blazed home to hand Ruby Walsh a fourth successive winner at this year’s Festival.

King admitted that the much-fancied Yanworth was beaten by the better horse on the day and was disappointed that his British steed failed to upset this week’s Irish dominance.

“They didn’t go as quick as I thought they would, but I’ve no excuses and the better horse has won on the day,” said the Barbury Castle trainer.

“I think he must be pretty good, although our horse kept going all the way to the line.

“Going to the last in third, (he) was bang with him, and yet there was seven lengths between them at the finish.

“He will be (a chaser) one day but I’m not going to make a decision on what we’re going to do next season (right away).

“Actually, it’s the first proper race he’s had this season; it’s the first time he’s come off the bridle and he might just improve for it, you know?

“It’s match practice. It’s the first time he’s had a kick in the belly.

“We have no excuses. They think that the winner is very, very good and they got beaten by the better horse on that day – it’s as simple as that.”

Meanwhile, Swindon Supermarine FC chairman Jez Webb saw his horse Duke of Medina, whose sire has footballing connections in the form of Rock of Gibraltar, formerly part-owned by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, finish 14th in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle.