The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Dream double on cards at Kelso
RACING: Pair can give Henderson lift on long trip north
Several of champion trainer Nicky Henderson’s horses are currently stymied by repercussions of the equineflu outbreak, stuck at home receiving mandatory booster vaccinations rather than travelling to the races.
But the nightmare is over for others, and appropriately-named pair WE HAVE A DREAM and DREAM DU GRAND VAL can prove the point by making today’s long trip up to Kelso worthwhile.
We Have A Dream, a dual Grade One-winning juvenile hurdler last season, had a choice of engagements this week, with Wincanton’s Kingwell a possible destination, once the British Horseracing Authority lifted its six-day shutdown of fixtures.
Henderson, however, has often used Kelso’s Morebattle Hurdle as a stepping stone for his championship contenders down the years and We Have A Dream still falls into that category.
We Have A Dream retains his Champion Hurdle entry and how he fares here in his fourth race of the campaign will doubtless dictate whether he takes on dual title-holder Buveur D’Air and other stablemates at Cheltenham next month.
The five-year-old has not quite hit the heights in Grade Two races this term. But neither has he disgraced himself in what is often a tough transitional campaign, beaten under 10 lengths on each occasion.
This two miles two furlongs trip may well prove spot on for him too.
Dream Du Grand Val heads north after comfortably justifying odds of even-money in a Fontwell handicap late last month.
The six-year-old ex-French gelding was scoring for the first time in eight attempts, on his second effort for his new yard, and takes on fellow novices here.
He has acquired a winner’s penalty, of course, but ought to be a leading light in the Borders Novices’ Hurdle.
Later on the card, DEFINITLY RED is impossible to oppose as he faces just Captain Redbeard in the Malcolm Jefferson Memorial Chase.
The 10-year-old arrives here on the back of two fine victories, impressing with his decisive finishing kick on both occasions.