He followed that up with another success at the same track the following month, before winning a Grade 2 National Hunt flat race at Newbury Racecourse in February.
[2] Iris's Gift lost his unbeaten record on his next start, where he finished fifth in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
Iris's Gift was immediately sent novice hurdling the following season and started with a winning debut over the obstacles in October at Bangor.
After winning his next two starts, including the Prestige Novices' Hurdle, he was stepped up to Grade 1 level in the Cheltenham Festival.
[3] The 2003/04 season didn't see Iris's Gift re-appear until February, where he finished second in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Qualifier at Haydock Park Racecourse.