Scriptwriter goes clear at Cheltenham

News and trainer quotes | Rest of Kempton Saturday preview

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Fri February 24, 2023 · 3y ago

Views from connections for the rest of Kempton's Saturday card including the Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle.

Harris plotting Adonis triumph for Scriptwriter

Scriptwriter could cement his place as Britain’s leading JCB Triumph Hurdle hope in the Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton.

Milton Harris won the Grade Two contest with Knight Salute 12 months ago and is treading the same path to the Cheltenham Festival with his classy recruit from Aidan O’Brien’s all-conquering Flat string.

A winner of his first two hurdling starts and also successful when having a spin on the all-weather at Wolverhampton in December, he was beaten less than a length by Joseph O’Brien’s Comfort Zone at Prestbury Park on Trials Day.

He lost little in defeat that day and Harris now hopes he can regain the winning thread to gather some momentum towards the Festival in this £80,000 contest.

He said: “He’s in good form. It’s well publicised that Paddy (Brennan) and I both agree that we got tactics a bit wrong at Cheltenham last time, without wishing to take anything away from the winner.

“It’s going to be a difficult task with a penalty, but he seems in good form and is probably the leading British juvenile and I have no problem with the horse’s form and well-being heading into the race.

“The Adonis is a good race in its own right and we did consider going fresh to the Triumph, but this is an £80,000 good race and it needs supporting. Cheltenham isn’t the be-all and end-all of everything, even though it is clearly our main target, but he is a juvenile hurdler.

“This horse has a Flat rating of 104 and ran to 104 when he ran on the Flat not so long ago and you have to ask yourself could any of these run to 104 on the Flat?

“We’re very happy and have had a clean run (since Cheltenham) and it would be very good for Paddy and the owners. The horse is a very nice horse and we’ll be doing our best.”

Weekend preview: Eider Chase and Coral Trophy

Scriptwriter has another Joseph O’Brien horse to take on this time in the form of Nusret – who looked good at Punchestown in the autumn before finishing third in deep contests the last twice.

Paul Nicholls also looks to have a smart prospect for a race he has won three times in the last 10 years in the form of Rare Middleton.

A winner at Leopardstown for Andy Oliver in the autumn, he soon transferred to Ditcheat for 215,000 guineas and made a winning debut for the champion trainer at Taunton last month.

“A useful handicapper on the Flat in Ireland, he made a pleasing hurdles debut for us with a tidy victory at Taunton early in January,” Nicholls told Betfair.

“That wasn’t the strongest of maiden races but he has come on nicely at home and this has always been his target.

“I’m hopeful that Rare Middleton can now raise his game on good ground that will suit him at Kempton. This race will tell us whether he goes for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham or waits for Aintree.”

Alan King is another with a fine record in this event and relies on Spartan Army, while Nicky Henderson last won this in 2019 with Fusil Raffles and unleashes the former William Haggas-trained mare Pawapuri, who was rated 85 on the level and looks an interesting hurdling newcomer for the Seven Barrows handler.

A new name to the training ranks is Ben Brookhouse and he is looking to his first-ever winner Sarsons Risk to build on victory at Doncaster and put his name on the map.

He said: “He seems to have come out of Doncaster well and he is a likeable type and seems to want to do it.

“He only had three days off after Doncaster but it was like a piece of work to him in all fairness. We are just pressing on now and looking forward to the Adonis.

“I think he is very special and he has a big engine now that we have sorted his wind issue out. His jumping at Doncaster was as slick as you like, which is a big thing for juveniles.

“I think he definitely deserves his place on Saturday. There is the voice in your head telling you he will win this without too much fuss, potentially, but then you have the realistic voice in your head saying everyone is thinking this. I think he has got a very good chance but the opposition is strong.”

Gary Moore’s Perseus Way finished second to Scriptwriter at Cheltenham on his hurdling debut and has gone on to acquire a rating of 125 over timber thanks to a placed effort in a Chepstow Grade Two and a commanding victory in the Chatteris Fen.

That Huntingdon success was given a timely boost when the runner-up bolted up at the same track on Thursday, but Moore believes his charge needs to raise his game.

He said: “It will be different to Huntingdon, a bit tougher race.

“He’s wrong with a few horses in the race handicap wise, but I just felt he had to have a go. He can go there and get the same prize money as the Fred Winter and I think the track will suit him.

“He’s a horse we like a lot, but he’s got to up his game a bit on Saturday. Scriptwriter is a 104-rated Flat horse isn’t he, but he wasn’t far behind him at Cheltenham the first time so we’ll just have to have a go at it.”

Hansard reports for Dovecote duty at Kempton

Gary Moore looks to have the trump card in the Sky Bet Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton as Hansard looks to maintain his unbeaten record over obstacles.

A winner of both outings over timber so far, he gave 7lb to Betfair Hurdle sixth Master Chewy when impressing at Plumpton at the turn of the year.

Freshened up for this Grade Two contest since, Moore hopes the Noel Fehily Racing-owned five-year-old – who is a 40-1 shot for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with race sponsor Sky Bet – can continue on his upward curve at a track that could play to his speedy strengths.

“He’s done nothing wrong so far and is a horse we like a lot,” said Moore.

“The track will suit him as he’s not slow. We would like the ground to have a bit more give in it, but you’ve got to take what you’re given at the moment.

“He’s a very nice horse and I would like to think he’ll keep going (upwards). This has always been the plan since Huntingdon when he won his first hurdle race and he will be going there fresh. Hopefully he can run a big race.”

His chief market rival appears to be Paul Nicholls’ Rubaud, who was somewhat disappointing when quietly fancied for the Betfair Hurdle, but has some smart novice form in the book from his prior efforts.

“He has taken to hurdles so well that I fancied him in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury, but he ruined his chance by pulling like a train in the first half of the race,” Nicholls told Betfair.

“Harry (Cobden) didn’t give him a hard time once it was clear he was beaten. I’m putting on a hood to help Rubaud relax better and he should be much happier back in novice company in a smaller field of runners round a track where he ran well at Christmas.”

Jonjo O’Neill’s Huntingdon scorer Imperial Bede and Chris Gordon’s Kayf Legend both arrive on the back of victories and are worth their place in the field, while Olly Murphy is hoping good ground can see Ukantango back to his best having struggled in testing conditions when tackling the Tolworth.

He said: “We’re looking forward to running him back on better ground, he hated the ground at Sandown in the Tolworth – it was bottomless heavy and you either love it or hate it there and he absolutely hated it.

“He seems in very good form and doesn’t seem a million miles wrong at the ratings. His Cheltenham run reads very well and we’re looking forward to him running.”

The field for the Grade Two event is completed by the Milton Harris-trained pair of Mullenbeg and Postmark – with the latter turning out quickly following success in a Newbury maiden last weekend.

“Mullenbeg has had a lovely break,” said Harris. “She knocked herself when she ran at Cheltenham when she finished sixth, which I probably ran her in too quickly (after her win at Ludlow).

“She’s never been as well as I’ve got her now, she’s in a great place. She gets a 7lb mares’ allowance which brings her in line with some of the geldings. If you asked what does she want, I would say a quick two miles on a sharp track and nice ground and that is what she has.

“She’s already been a success, she won a Listed bumper and three hurdle races and this will tell us if she should be going to the Mares’ Novice at the Cheltenham Festival.”

On Postmark, he added: “He’s rated 89 on the Flat. Unfortunately he wants nice ground and we’ve ran out of time a bit to get him three runs to get him qualified for the Boodles, if we go that route.

“This Saturday is the last weekend you can run before you get a mark for the Boodles. He will be doing his best and I can see him running into a place, which would give him a mark if we choose to go that route.

“He needs to run well to justify that thought, but Harry (Redknapp) is a new owner and the horse has already won on the Flat and won last week at Newbury, so he’s turned out to be a successful purchase.”

Datsalrightgino has the chance to avenge his narrow Newton Abbot defeat at the hands of Boothill in the Coral Pendil Novices’ Chase that is also on the card.

Jamie Snowden’s seven-year-old enjoyed the step up in trip when second to Stage Star on Festival Trials day and receives 5lb from Harry Fry’s Wayward Lad winner as they rematch over a longer distance.

“He’s a smashing horse who has progressed all season,” said Snowden.

“He did well to win over two miles but has improved for going up to two and a half as you saw the last day when he chased home Stage Star at Cheltenham – that was a good performance.

“Obviously he reopposes Boothill, who he took on at Newton Abbot earlier in the season and Boothill now has a 5lb penalty for winning the Grade Two over Christmas.

“It’s a competitive little race, but hopefully he goes there with a decent chance with good prize money on offer.”

Nicholls has an imperious record in this Grade Two contest winning it six times in the last 10 years.

He has sent out the victor in the past two seasons and looks to bring up the hat-trick with Solo, who won the Adonis on this day in 2020 and arrives on the back of a wind operation with some smart chasing form in the book.

“He has run really well on all three starts over fences this season and worked nicely at home on Friday morning,” said Nicholls.

“The form of his second to Balco Coastal at this track on Boxing Day is strong, he was giving 8lb to the winner and Solo has since had a little op to cauterise his palate.

“Track, trip and ground are ideal for our horse, who won the Adonis Hurdle in eyecatching fashion on this card three years ago.

“We have a great record in the Pendil, having won it in six of the last 10 years and Solo has decent claims of adding his name to the roll of honour.”

Nicky Henderson’s Tweed Skirt and Dan Skelton’s Jay Jay Reilly are also engaged.

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