Trainer Evan Williams is
considering a crack at the £25,000 Grade Two Opus Energy Novices' Hurdle at
Cheltenham with impressive Showcase scorer Court Minstrel or yesterday's
Ludlow winner Hold Court. The extended two-mile contest takes place on
Countryside Day, Friday, November 16, 2012, the first day of The Open.
Court Minstrel produced a
decisive turn of foot to land the Lemington Maiden Hurdle by an easy three and
three-quarter lengths at The Showcase on October 19. The progressive
five-year-old was having his first start since finishing fourth to The New One
in the Grade Two John Smith's Champion Bumper at Aintree in April.
Williams, who trains in
the Vale Of Glamorgan, said: "We will definitely keep the Opus Energy
Novices' Hurdle in mind for Court Minstrel but I won't say we will definitely
end up there because he is a horse we might not do too much with in the early
part of the season.
"It's definitely a
race we will look at. He has been grand since his win at Cheltenham and he
looked visually impressive there but it probably wasn't the strongest of
contests.
"He did it nicely,
the track seemed to suit him and he will always be suited by a good fast
pace."
Hold Court won his first
two starts under Rules in bumpers at Fontwell and Ludlow in eye-catching
fashion before sore shins prevented him from running to his best in a Listed
bumper at Newbury in February, when ninth. He returned to action with an easy
six-length victory at Ludlow yesterday in a novices' hurdle over two miles.
Williams added: "Hold
Court will improve for his win at Ludlow yesterday. He is a horse who had sore
shins at the end of last year and I wanted to run him somewhere where they go a
good gallop because he can pull a bit.
"We will definitely
look at the Opus Energy Novices' Hurdle with him as he is a horse we like an
awful lot. We will have all those sort of races in mind for him for the rest of
the season."
The first day of The Open,
Countryside Day, also features the £45,000 Paddypower.com Handicap Chase over
two miles and the £25,000 Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeple Chase over just shy
of four miles.
There are a number of
activities taking place on Countryside Day including the annual Thoroughbred
Breeders' Association stallion parade, which place in the paddock at 11.00am.
A display of the Cotswolds
branch of the Riding for the Disabled Association will be staged in the paddock
at 11.45am, while the equestrian medallists from London 2012 will be in the
winner's enclosure after the first race. There are also various sheepdog,
beagle and foxhound displays throughout the day. Brightwells will stage a sale
of breeze-up horses and horses in training after racing.
The £160,000 Grade Three
Paddy Power Gold Cup is the highlight of The Open on Saturday, November 17, and
has been won by some of Jump racing's biggest names since its inception in
1960. In 2008 the extended two and a half mile handicap chase was won by
Imperial Commander who went on to win the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2010.
A terrific card on
Saturday also features the £50,000 Grade Three Henrietta Knight Handicap Chase
over just short of three and a half miles and the £25,000 Grade Two JCB Triumph
Hurdle Trial over an extended two miles.
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