Ballyben found an ‘ideal opportunity’

Jefferson has high hopes for stayer in feature

Malcolm Jefferson fancies the chances of Brian Hughes-ridden Ballyben in the feature race on Perth’s penultimate meeting of the season today on day one of the course’s Glorious Finale.

Clerk of the course Harriet Graham, at Perth, said: “The going is heavy to soft in places for our Glorious Finale on Wednesday and Thursday.

“We’re not expecting any rain until the evening so, as far as Thursday is concerned, it’s a case of monitoring the overnight forecast very closely and hope that any rain misses us.

“Tomorrow’s meeting will be testing but we do have a great mix of top class runners, so we’re sure it will be a fantastic day of racing.”

The highlight on day one is the David Whitaker Handicap Chase and the Malton raider faces three rivals in Arctic Gold, Carrrigdhoun and Urtheoneiwant for the £13,000 three-mile handicap.

Jefferson said: “He’s a lovely big horse that joined us last season.

“He handles soft ground and is a thorough stayer, so this is the ideal opportunity to start him off.”

Nigel Twiston-Davies is traditionally a great supporter of this two-day fixture and he is represented by top-weight Arctic Gold, ridden by his son Sam.

The gelding ran in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham and was also third over the hurdles at the Perth Festival in April.

Gordon Elliott, who has won the race three times saddles Urtheoneiwant under dual champion jockey Richard Johnson.

Despite being trained in Ireland, Urtheoneiwant has won four of his last five races at Perth including when winning over course and distance in July.

The line-up is completed by Carrigdhoun, trained in Cumbria by Maurice Barnes who won the Grand National for Scotland aboard John Leadbetter’s Rubstic in 1979.

This year’s Grand National-winning combination of Derek Fox and Lucinda Russell team up in three races, including Sky Khan in the Weatherbys Handicap Hurdle.

Trained just 20 minutes away at Milnathort, Sky Khan was third in the 2015 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Fox also partners Miss Russell’s Simone in the opener at 2.20 and Moorstown in the final race of the first day.

Johnson has four booked mounts starting off with Pat’s Oscar in the opening Injured Jockeys’ Fund Supporters Club Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Getty. Ballyben: the Malcolm Jefferson-trained stayer will appreciate the soft ground at Perth.

Derek Fox: rides three for Lucinda Russell on opening day.