Johnnywho has been very well supported into 4/1 favourite at Sky Bet for the Kim Muir Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham Festival on the back of Derek O’Connor being confirmed for the ride.
The eight-year-old, trained by Jonjo and AJ O’Neill and owned by JP McManus, has had four chase starts this season including a third behind The Jukebox Man at Newbury in November.
He has yet to contest a handicap chase, but will do so from a mark of 140 next week under O’Connor who spoke of him on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast on Wednesday.
O’Connor said: “I’m very happy to be riding Johnnywho now. Ellmarie Holden was responsible for producing Johnnywho in Ireland, he won a point-to-point where I rode him and Mr McManus bought him after he won that point-to-point.
“So I know this horse throughout his career, he got to a high level over hurdles, ran well in the Albert Bartlett and he’s been competitive in some of the better novices this year.
“Whether he’s experienced for a big handicap, a big hustle and bustle handicap around Cheltenham, I don’t know, but he’s a very good ride to have.”
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