The Aga Khan bred four-year-old Akilak made an impressive winning debut over hurdles when taking the Gr.2 Wragge & Co Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

An easy six-length winner of this competitive Novice Hurdle event, Akilak is now among the favourites for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Following this striking debut over hurdles the Racing Post commented: “This was an outstanding effort from such an inexperienced horse. He was only gelded in November and Howard Johnson anticipates significant improvement. He is a youngster with a big future.”

Akilak was sold out of John Oxx’s yard as a winning three-year-old, at the Goffs Ireland horses-in-training sale in 2004. He was bought for €100,000 by the bloodstock agent Bobby O’Ryan.

Earlier in the afternoon another Aga Khan bred gelding now trained by Howard Johnson, Kasthari, made light work of 12 opponents in a handicap hurdle at Doncaster, winning by 15 lengths at the line. He was sold out of Sir Michael Stoute’s yard for 95,000 guineas in the 2003 Tattersalls horses-in-training sale.