WHITTINGTON HAS FAITH IN SAINT

HARRY WHITTINGTON is confident that ‘speed freak’ Saint Calvados can cope with a furiously run Arkle Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Aidan Coleman’s mount is up against four horses who contested last year’s Champion Hurdle. They include Footpad, the evens ante-post favourite trained by Willie Mullins. Saint Calvados, winner of the Grade Two Kingmaker Chase by 22 lengths last month, only arrived in Whittington’s stable in November and the trainer said: ‘It will be a burn-up. But what seems like a million miles an hour, to Saint Calvados is just hacking. He is a bit of a freak like that. ‘This is his toughest assignment but he is a very exciting horse.’