Lacey holds high hopes for trip north

PERTH: Two-pronged attack on Herefordshire trainer’s first visit to track

Tom Lacey is looking forward to sampling the delights of Perth tonight as the Herefordshire trainer saddles his first runners at the Scone track.

He gets under way with Bhakti, ridden by champion jockey Richard Johnson, who is among a maximum field of 14 in the Edinburgh Gin Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

“He won at Ffos Las last month and the step-up in trip will suit him,” Lacey said.

“Although he’s gone up a few pounds he won nicely and will love the ground.”

The trainer is also represented by the hat-trick seeking mare Jester Jet, one of 11 declared for the evening’s feature event, the £10,000 Heineken UK Handicap Hurdle.

Lacey added: “Her jumping was appalling when she won at Wetherby even though she had schooled beautifully at home.

She got more of a sight of her hurdles at Ludlow last time and her jumping isn’t really a concern.

“Ideally I’d have aimed her at a 0-110 over two miles four furlongs but there wasn’t that option. She has to have a squeak on the softer ground and up to three miles.”

Those up against Jester Jet include Lucinda Russell’s Maraweh, the 6-1 winner of the corresponding race last year, and Nick Alexander’s three-time Perth scorer Jet Master.

The seven-race card, containing 69 runners, also includes horses from leading trainers such as Tom George, Donald McCain, Nicky Richards and Stuart Crawford.

Willie Mullins has called time on the racing career of 2016 Champion Hurdle Annie Power.