Sir Gerhard strengthened his position as ante-post favourite for the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival with an impressive display in the BetVictor Flash Cashback “Future Champions” Flat Race at Navan

A £400,000 purchase for Cheveley Park Stud after winning his only start in the point-to-point field, the five-year-old made the perfect start for his new connections when scoring by 14 lengths on his bumper debut at Down Royal in late October.

Stepping up to Listed class for a race his trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey Jamie Codd had previously combined to win with the top-class pair of Samcro (2016) and Envoi Allen (2018), Sir Gerhard was the 4-9 favourite and got the job done with relative ease.

His task appeared far from straightforward beforehand, with Letsbeclearaboutit having looked a top-class bumper horse in his own right in winning at Tipperary and Punchestown.

Gavin Cromwell’s charge cut out much of the running under champion amateur Patrick Mullins, but was ultimately no match for Sir Gerhard, who took over inside the final two furlongs and passed the post with four and a half lengths in hand.

Codd said: “His work has been really good at home. You are always slightly concerned when you get to Navan in December with the ground, but he handled it. Good horses tend to handle it and he was very good.

“We’re delighted with him and we’ll roll on into the spring now.

“His pedigree suggests he’ll be better on a bit of nicer ground, being by Jeremy.

“He’s a very nice horse.”

Betfair cut the winner to 11-4 from 4-1 for the Champion Bumper in March.