Footpad swerves Betfair Hurdle

DUAL Grade One winner Footpad won’t be coming to Newbury on Saturday to contest the Betfair Hurdle though he will likely run at the Cheltenham Festival.

Connections have confirmed the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old will not be taking up his entry in the Grade Three handicap for which he was as short as 10-1.

Anthony Bromley, racing manager for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, said: “He is entered in the Stayers’ Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle and it is not set in stone which race he will go for yet.”

Footpad was denlast month when finding only Petit Mouchoir too strong in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

HARRY Cobden will continue to get plenty of opportunities for Paul Nicholls despite losing his claim at Musselburgh on Saturday.

Cobden partnered Diego Du Charmil to win the Scottish County Hurdle, meaning he now has to join the professional ranks.

Nicholls said: “He has done extremely well to reach that landmark so quickly for one so young and nothing will change now he is unable to claim an allowance.

“Harry will continue to partner plenty of horses for Team Ditcheat as he joins our roster of talented senior jockeys.

“Diego Du Charmil will have an entry in the County Hurdle at the Festival but he is ground dependent and wouldn’t be going to Cheltenham if the going turns soft.

“Another option might be the Scottish Champion Hurdle.”

LUCY Wadham is plotting a trip to the Cheltenham Festival with Potters Legend.

The Newmarket handler has earmarked the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Chase on March 16 as one of two potential Festival options for the seven-year-old.

The Grade One-placed hurdler finished second on his most recent visit to Cheltenham when he chased home Royal Vacation in a twomile-five-furlong handicap chase late last month.

Wadham said: “I was thrilled with that run. He stayed on well and his jumping was superb. He only missed one fence.

“I was impressed with the way he stayed on and how he handled the hustle and bustle as he had horses fall in front of him twice. I don’t know how Leighton Aspell managed to keep on.”

SAMMY B, the orphan foal turned racehorse trained by Lucinda Russell at Milnathort, won over three miles at Musselburgh.

Always travelling well, he came into the race in the home straight and, with a new found jumping confidence, stayed on strongly to win his first race over hurdles.

Sammy was orphaned at a few days old when his mother died from grass sickness.

Geoff Brown, his owner and breeder, and Angie Welsh spent many days fostering him onto a shire mare and their time and determination has been rewarded.

Trainer Nick Alexander, based at Kinneston on the shores of Loch Leven, was delighted with the run of Jet Master in the inaugural Edinburgh National at Musselburgh. He said: “Jet Master belied his odds of 66-1 to finish seventh, not beaten far at all.”