Ben Pauling has confirmed that Willoughby Court will make his eagerly-awaited seasonal reappearance at Newbury on Friday.
The seven-year-old won the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at the 2017 Cheltenham Festival but was restricted to three starts over fences last season, winning at Huntingdon and Newbury before finishing third back at Prestbury Park on New Year's Day.
A setback ruled him out for the rest of the campaign but now he's back, firing on all cylinders after a brief hiccup, and headed to the Ladbrokes Handicap Chase.
The trainer told Black Type: “Willoughby Court has recovered really well from his cut which meant he missed his intended target at Carlisle and a possible tilt at the Ladbroke Trophy this weekend.
"He, however, will still be at Newbury this weekend, taking up his entry in the two-and-a-half mile handicap chase on Friday. We have schooled him twice this week and he has come through both with flying colours. I’m very excited to get him back on the track. Nico de Boinville will take the ride.”
Stablemate Global Citizen will also be in action at the two-day showpiece.
Pauling explained: "He will run in the Gerry Fielden on Saturday at Newbury as long as the ground isn’t too soft. There is a fair amount of rain forecast ahead of the weekend so we’ll need to monitor it but his sore joint which ruled him out of the Greatwood Hurdle has healed and we’d love to run him."
The six-year-old was a leading novice hurdler last term, winning the Sky Bet Dovecote at Kempton, and finished second to Fidux on his return to action at Ascot.
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