Aidan in line for Gold run
AIDAN COLEMAN is on course for the plum ride aboard Santini in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The Irishman, booked to partner last year’s Gold Cup runner-up in the Cotswold Chase at the waterlogged home of jump racing last Saturday, will keep the mount when the Cheltenham Festival trial is staged at Sandown tomorrow.
Nicky Henderson’s stable jockey Nico de Boinville is in action at the Esher course, but has been pencilled in to take the leg up on stablemate Champ in chasing’s blue riband on
March 19. Champ, last year’s RSA Novices’ Chase hero, will make his return to action in the Denman Chase at Newbury a week tomorrow.
“The idea is that Aidan will then know Santini, Nico will ride Champ next week and everything is covered,” the Seven Barrows trainer explained yesterday.
“Nico obviously knows Santini very well already, so it was an opportunity for Aidan to get to know him. That’s the gist of the plan.
“Hopefully all horses return safe and sound and are on course for March, and they can both run in the Gold Cup — and then I’ve got two jockeys.”
❑ HONEYSUCKLE will face five opponents as Henry de Bromhead’s unbeaten mare bids for back-to-back successes in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown tomorrow. Queen Mother Champion Chase favourite Chacun Pour Soi also faces five rivals when he runs in the Grade One Ladbrokes Dublin Chase on the same card.