I Like To Move It wins under Sam Twiston-Davies

Cheltenham International Hurdle preview: I Like To Move It takes next step

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Fri December 09, 2022 · 3y ago

Groom Laura Scrivener believes the ‘sky is the limit’ for I like To Move It who will bid to evoke memories of her Cheltenham triumphs with the ultra-popular Paisley Park when bidding for glory at the track in the Unibet International Hurdle.

For seven years Scrivener held the privileged position of looking after the 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle winner and three-time Cleeve Hurdle hero before joining Nigel Twiston-Davies and his team in September.

Just weeks into her new role, Scrivener proved she has the Midas touch after celebrating another victory in the famous winner’s enclosure at the Home of Jump Racing following the five-year-old’s victory in last month’s Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle.

And things could get even better for the 30-year-old, who hails from Amesbury, should the gelded son of Trans Island secure a fourth victory at the track by making his return to Grade Two level a winning one at the weekend.

Laura Scrivener and I Like To Move It

Scrivener said: “I’m very lucky to have him and hopefully the sky's the limit with him. He has repeatedly shown he is good enough and hopefully there is more improvement to come.

“You are always nervous they are going to get collared but he looked so strong throughout in the Greatwood and he had a lot of good horses off the bridle early on.

“Turning in you felt pretty confident and it was quite exciting to see something else you have looked after coming up the Cheltenham hill.

“He has done nothing wrong since and he won the Greatwood very well and it hasn’t really taken anything out of him.

“Hopefully we can take that next step as there is nothing like leading a horse in after winning at Cheltenham.”

While Scrivener hopes I Like To Move It can deliver her another moment to savour at Cheltenham, she already has enough memories to last a lifetime following her ties with Paisley Park.

She said: “It was absolutely fantastic being associated with Paisley Park and no one can take that away from me or him. He has taken me places a lot of people don’t get to go.

“Leading him in at The Festival after he won the Stayers’ Hurdle was great and even on days he didn’t win he got a good reception as he was so popular.

“The day he won the Cleeve last season after whipping around at the start then bolted up it would take something to match that reception. He is just so popular and he has been a fabulous horse over the years.”

Although Scrivener is no longer associated with Paisley Park it has not stopped her showing an interest in a horse she has dedicated a large part of her career to.

She said “I was at Doncaster and I hung around for an extra 20 minutes to watch him on his comeback run at Newbury in the Long Distance Hurdle.

“I was willing him on to win and beat Champ, but it was fantastic to see him run so well. He is not getting any younger but he is clearly still enjoying it.

“It is almost a little bit heart-breaking seeing someone else lead him round and not being able giving him a pat every morning, but he is in good hands and he is being looked after well.”

As for the new apple of her eye, who she hopes can take her on a similar journey like the one Paisley Park did, Scrivener has described him as both ‘lovely’ and a ‘big softie’ given the attitude he has demonstrated both at home and on the track.

She said: “He is a bit of a fidget in the morning when his breakfast comes in with his head over the door swinging it about but he is lovely. He would stand there all day though for scratches and cuddles. He is a big softie.

“He is actually very good at the races and before the Greatwood he was almost asleep, however he does wake up a little bit in the parade ring.

“It couldn’t have started much better for us with him winning the Greatwood and hopefully we can have more days like that in the future potentially starting at the weekend.”

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