RIVALS’ PULP FRICTION
LUCINDA RUSSELL is hoping for more of the same from January course and distance winner Pulpitarian at Musselburgh today.
Carrying the colours of Two Black Labs, the gelding faces nine rivals in the totequadpot At betfred.com Handicap Hurdle.
Russell said: “He came from America and won three races over there before he joined us.
“The step up to three miles last time was a big factor and hopefully he will go well again. Good ground is key and he has a touch of class and settles well.”
But Pulpitarian faces competition from Philip Kirby’s Fakenham winner Improved and Donald McCain-trained Shantou Tiger who’s been runner-up three times in a row over course and distance in East Lothian.
John Leadbetter, the trainer of Scotland’s only Grand National winner – 1979 hero Rubstic – saddles Another Dark Rum in the @totepool Follow Us On Twitter Open Hunters’ Chase. Another interesting contender is Always Tipsy, the winner of his last three point to points and ridden by Henry Morshead, son of ex-Perth general manager Sam Morshead.
■ Gordon Elliott is planning to send a team of around 30 horses for the Cheltenham Festival as he bids to improve on last year’s tally.
Don Cossack’s victory in the Timico Gold Cup was the highlight of three winners for the County Meath handler.
Although his star chaser has been retired through injury, Elliott goes to Gloucestershire with high hopes.
He said: “I’d say we’ll send about 30 horses across. They’ve just had a canter this morning.
“A few will work tomorrow and then a few will be in Leopardstown on Sunday.
“We won’t do much more after that, only keep them ticking over.
“We’ve no Don Cossack this year but we’ve got plenty of chances and we’re really looking forward to it.
“On numbers, I’d say we have a lot more fancied ones this year, but we had three winners last year and it will be hard to beat that.”
Elliott confirmed Tombstone, the recent conqueror of former two-mile king Jezki, was in line to be added to the field for the Stan James Champion Hurdle.
He said: “If everything goes all right and he works all right at the weekend, the plan is we’ll run him in the Champion Hurdle.“
“It’s an open enough race. We’ve never had a runner in the Champion Hurdle, so I don’t know what it takes to win one but why not have a go? He’s in good nick.”