Hirapour put himself in line for the steeple-chasing Eclipse Award when he ran out the gutsy winner of the Colonial Cup at Springdale racecourse in the States on Sunday.

Hirapour pulled away to a three and three quarter length lead at the end of the two mile six furlong Grade 1 event. Interviewed shortly after the race, jockey Matt McCarron commented: “He was very competitive when I needed him to be, and he just wore that other horse down and was absolutely legless exhausted when he pulled up. He gave every bit of his heart in the stretch.”

Hirapour was taking his second Grade 1 race over jumps, having won the Royal Chase Hurdle at Keeneland in April, and now has now won three times and finished second twice from five runs in the States.