Ryder ready for a step up

WARREN GREATREX was agonisingly close to landing a festive Grade One event but the Lambourn handler can gain a measure of compensation in today’s 32Red Tolworth Hurdle.

Mulcahys Hill was denied victory in last weekend’s Challow Hurdle by a frustrating margin, but more will be expected of WESTERN RYDER (Sandown, 2.25), given he arrives at this afternoon’s feature on the back of an impressive Cheltenham success.

Greatrex has never hidden his faith in the six-year-old which performed with great credit in bumpers at the major spring festivals, prior to an underwhelming start to his novice hurdle career.

A bizarre unseating of Richard Johnson at Stratford on his hurdling debut in November perplexed Greatrex, whose nerves were calmed by a smooth confidence-booster by Western Ryder at Chepstow prior to a display of authority in a better race at Cheltenham.

The horse comfortably accounted for third-home Summerville Boy that day, staying on strongly up the hill to win with a little in hand and it is hard to see how his rival can make up the five lengths he was beaten by at Prestbury Park.

This afternoon’s event represents another step up in class for Western Ryder but a stiff track and soft ground look optimum conditions. He is taken to see off Kalashnikov, who has swept aside his rivals in two novice hurdles.