Julius Des Pictons provides Jamie Snowden with breakthrough Grade 1 win in the Sefton

Julius Des Pictons ground down his opposition to land the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle and provide trainer Jamie Snowden with a first Grade 1 winner in the process.

“We’ve had Cheltenham Festival winners, Grade 2 winners and been touched off in Grade 1s, so we’ve been lucky,” Snowden said. “But to have that first Grade 1 winner, it’s just wonderful and wonderful for everyone because it’s such a team effort.”

The race looked at the mercy of Mister Meggit as he came to the last hurdle looking full of running. However, a mistake cost him momentum and allowed Julius Des Pictons, Minella Rescue and Crest Of Fortune to pass him before the finishing line.

“Julius is bred for this trip and we’ve been campaigning him over shorter as we knew he was a nice horse,” added Snowden, who trains the winner for The Footie Partnership. “We thought on this better ground it was the time to step him up in trip and he just kept on galloping.

“In time he’s going to be a lovely, big staying chaser to look forward to. There’s plenty of water to go under the bridge before then and we’re going to enjoy this.”