Kevin Ryan, who yesterday at Southwell saddled his 1,000th winner, bids to add to that admirable tally in unusual surroundings this afternoon.
The Hambleton trainer largely confines his talents to the Flat – his latest success came with sprinter Jobe in claiming company – but today he looks to Shifting Gold to give him a jumping success at no less a venue than Cheltenham.
Formerly a decent horse and regular winner on the Flat, Shifting Gold has taken well to the winter game and already has a Sedgefield success to his credit this season. With Brian Toomey in the saddle, the five-year-old is expected to go well in the cheltenhamcollection.co.uk Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
The feature of today’s card is the Grade 2 Opus Energy Novices’ Hurdle, in which Prospect Wells is expected to take plenty of beating.
A former high-class Flat horse in France with Andre Fabre, the gelding, having initially been trained by Howard Johnson after his transfer to Britain, is now with Paul Nicholls and looked good when scoring at Chepstow.
This is obviously a much tougher assignment, but there is surely much more to come from this talented performer, who is owned by Andrea and Graham Wylie.
The Steel Plate And Sections Novices’ Chase has attracted a high-class field, and although Cue Card promises to be a tough nut to crack, Grands Crus gets my vote, provided the ground is not riding too fast.
Trainer David Pipe has already mooted a few concerns about the quick going, but Grands Crus, who developed into a top-notch hurdler last season and who found only the brilliant Big Bucks superior to him in the staying division, has everything required to make a successful transition to fences. He is narrowly preferred in a not-to-be-missed event.
Brian Ellison, due back from Australia in the coming days after his unsuccessful assault on the Melbourne Cup with Saptapadi and Moyenne Corniche, has a fighting chance with the consistent Bocciani, who has only a featherweight to carry, in the paddypower.com On Mobile Handicap Chase, while Garde Champetre is at his best around here and is one to note in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase.
It’s bread and butter fare at Wolverhampton tomorrow evening, but apprentice George Chaloner won’t mind if he wins the opening sprint handicap on Haadeeth for his boss, Richard Fahey.
Chaloner has one win and a narrowly-beaten second to his credit on this gelding on this course, his latest defeat being by a whisker when he was nailed in the dying strides by Ryedane last weekend. Quick compensation awaits the partnership from the plum draw in stall one.
Elspeth’s Boy, trained at Castleton on the North York Moors by Phil Kirby, helped Paul Hanagan to his championship by providing Britain’s top jockey with a crucial success at Redcar 11 days ago.
The four-year-old is unproven on this surface, but there is every chance he can follow up in the modest Dickie Barton’s Tying The Knot Handicap. Adam Kirby has the mount this time.
Also worth noting are the promising Eluding (6.50) and Rebel Song (7.50), who are both fancied to score for Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni and jockey Jim Crowley.
racing selection
Cheltenham today
1.10 Bescot Springs, 1.45 Bocciani, 2.20 Garde Champetre, 2.55 Prospect Wells, 3.30 Shifting Gold, 4.05 Grands Crus.
Today’s other meetings: Lingfield Park, Newcastle and Wolverhampton.
Wolverhampton tomorrow
6.20 Haadeeth (NAP), 6.50 Eluding, 7.20 Elspeth’s Boy, 7.50 Rebel Song, 8.20 Miss Villefranche, 8.50 Justcallmehandsome, 9.20 Bravestofthebrave.
Tomorrow’s other meetings: Cheltenham, Lingfield Park, Uttoxeter and Wetherby.
