SEVEN IS HEAVEN IN DIPPER MATCH

January 19 2010

Seven Is My Number en route to Dipper glory.

Seven Is My Number took Timmy Murphy closer to his 1,000th winner over jumps with victory in the Dipper Novices' Chase at Cheltenham.

The 4-9 chance made all the running to beat his solitary rival Pigeon Island despite being a reluctant leader in the early stages.

Pigeon Island tried to make a race of it with two to jump but David Pipe's eight-year-old had too much in the locker and won easily by 18 lengths.

The race was reduced to a match after the three other declared runners - Punchestowns, Knockara Beau and Bensalem - were withdrawn.

Sky Bet have Seven Is My Number at 20-1 for the RSA Chase back at Cheltenham in March.

Murphy said: "Paddy (Brennan) was supposed to come upsides me at the start as he's not a horse you can ride from the front.

"He's done it well and was always looking for company.

"I was supposed to have ridden by 1000th winner the day after Boxing Day but everytime I've had a winner since I've gone back in numbers. I think that's 997 now."

Pipe added: "He's done very well because he's not the most straightforward of horses.

"He doesn't do that much work at home - we treat him individually and it was a good performance.

"He'll have entries in all the good chases and entries in the good novices at Cheltenham in March.

"He's a lightly-raced horse. He has always had plenty of ability and has got lots of talent."