Dream triumph at Musselburgh

We Have A Dream extended his winning sequence to four on the final afternoon of Musselburgh’s Cheltenham Trials fixture yesterday.

Nicky Henderson was in attendance to see the 1-5 favourite beat persistent challenger Act Of Valour by four and a half lengths in the bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle.

The Seven Barrows trainer said: “He goes for the Triumph at the festival now and it’s great to have two such strong juveniles for the race as him and Apple’s Shakira. It’s a good job I don’t have to chose between them!”

Red River is also hedging for Cheltenham next month after a taking performance for the Kim Bailey/david Bass combination in the Albert Bartlett Scottish Trial Novices’ Hurdle.

Bailey said: “He will be a better horse on better ground and I would expect he would go to the festival after this. It was his first run after a wind operation which involved cauterising his palette so I thought it was a good performance.”

Kevin Ryan-trained Beyond The Clouds was also making it four wins on the bounce when scrambling home by a neck in the Sky Bet Supreme Scottish Trial Novices’ Hurdle.

Winning jockey Brian Hughes said: “We were worried about the soft ground and he could go to Kelso next for the Premier Hurdle as he’s won there before. He was getting a bit lonely out in front and he might turn out to be an Aintree horse later in the spring.”

Meanwhile, first-time cheekpieces can do the trick for Great Return in the Betway Casino Handicap at Wolverhampton today.

The five-year-old son of New Approach is still a maiden after nine races in a nomadic career that has seen him end up at Warren Greatrex’s stable.

Great Return has shaped promisingly for new connections, having hit the frame in three starts, but he probably still needs to step things up a bit if he is to get on the scoresheet.

The headgear could help in that respect, as might the return to two miles.

Samovar should be supported in the 32Red.com Handicap.

Scott Dixon’s three-year-old has finished runner-up on his last two starts and was probably an unlucky loser at Southwell at the start of the month.

Samovar completely missed the break and was four lengths down from flag-fall. Jockey Kieran O’neill never gave 0 Nicky Henderson: Rewarded for making trip to Musselburgh. up, though, and his partner showed good pace to even get into contention.

The gelded son of Finjaan only went down by a neck to Magic Pulse and runs here off the same mark. Samovar will obviously need to start better, but he will not get many better opportunities than this.

Spryt looked in good nick on his return from a long absence at Lingfield and should be a threat to all in division two of the apprentice riders’ handicap.

John Butler’s six-year-old came fast and late to take third spot in January – his first outing since he won at Lingfield last June – and should be ready to roll with that spin in safekeeping.

Keel Haul looks poised to finally poke his nose back in front when he runs over fences at Southwell.

Henry Oliver’s ten-year-old was a bright prospect way back in November 2015 when he won a big two-mile handicap chase at Cheltenham.

Sadly for connections, things have not gone to plan as that was the last time he claimed top honours.

There were, though, signs of a renaissance at Fontwell last month when he stuck valiantly to his task to finish second behind Atlantic Roller.

A scruffy leap at the last did him no favours that day, while an argument could be made that the two-and-a-quartermile trip was probably a wee bit too far for him.

Back over the minimum distance for what looks an eminently winnable handicap chase, Keel Haul can finally kick on off a mark of 112.