Dude carries Scudamore traditions

Scudamore’s father, former champion jockey Peter, won the race four times on Run And Skip (1985), Bonanza Boy (1988 and 1989) and Carvill’s Hill (1991).

Monbeg Dude was last seen winning a valuable handicap at Cheltenham in November, with ante-post favourite Teaforthree back in eighth.

However, he may require a new partner as Jamie Moore did the steering that day but may be forced to give up the mount due to his commitments to Peter Bowen.

“He’s really well. He won nicely enough at Cheltenham and we’re very pleased and looking forward to Saturday,” said Scudamore on At The Races.

“It was a good performance last time on softish, heavy ground and you’d have to think the way he travelled through the race that an extra two furlongs around Chepstow shouldn’t be a problem to him.

“It’s hard to say you’re confident going into a race like this but we couldn’t be happier with him.

“Hopefully he’s a younger horse going the right way and hopefully that will help him come Saturday.

“We’re waiting to see what Jamie’s plans are, with lots of racing about we’ll have to see. Jamie gets on well with him and it would be good to keep that partnership intact if possible.

“It was a race that Dad was very lucky in, he won it a few times when he was riding. It would be a great race for a young yard like ours to win.”

Monbeg Dude is owned by the Oydunow syndicate made up of some international rugby union players. However, not all will be able to attend.

“I think Gloucester are playing on Saturday which ties up Mr (Mike) Tindall, Mr (James) Simpson-Daniel is injured at the moment so I think he’s hoping to get down there and Nicky Robinson is the physio with Wasps so I don’t think he’ll be there, but they’ll all be there in spirit,” said Scudamore.

Soll is one of the less exposed runners in the field having had just five races under Rules in his life.

Now with Jo Hughes in Lambourn, he was fancied for the four-miler at Cheltenham last March when with Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins.

He ran a satisfactory race in the Hennessy to finish eighth but Hughes is confident he will strip fitter at the weekend.

“Everything has been fine with him since Newbury, he came out of the Hennessy well. He’s had a good preparation and we are just hoping and praying that it’s on,” said Hughes. “It’s all systems go for this weekend and it’s very exciting.

“He wasn’t 100 per cent for the Hennessy. I didn’t bring him in early enough, but I’ve been able to get a lot more work into him for this.

“I think Derrick (Mossop, owner) moved him to me from Willie Mullins because he thought he’d be better off in a smaller yard where he could be a bigger star. Mr Mullins has a lot of very similar horses.

“I only have about six jumpers, there aren’t many dual-purpose yards these days. Having won a Group race on the Flat last season (with Caledonia Lady), it would be great to win a major handicap over jumps.

“I’ll take on any horse and work out where they need to run.”

The other big race on Saturday is at Sandown, where Court Minstrel is likely to take his chance in the 32Red Hurdle.

Winner of two of his five bumper races, the six-year-old has already shown smart form in both his starts over the smaller obstacles to earn a crack at this Grade One, better known as the Tolworth Hurdle.

After landing a maiden hurdle at Cheltenham on his first run over jumps in October, he returned to Prestbury Park the following month when he was third to Dodging Bullets and River Maigue.

The form was given a boost by those two horses at Kempton on Boxing Day. when Dodging Bullets was third in the Christmas Hurdle and River Maigue won a novice hurdle.

“Whether he wants this ground or not is open to debate, but they are giving a couple of dry days,” said trainer Evan Williams.

“Providing his last piece of work goes well, then he is an intended runner.

“It’s difficult to know where to go, but I do like him and I think he’s a horse that sometime in his life could win a decent contest somewhere.

“Although he’s turned six now, he’s a horse that still needs a bit of time, but I’d be keen to go to Sandown.”

Williams describes Court Minstrel as a different type of horse to Deep Purple, who was second in the Tolworth five years ago.

“He’s a different type of horse to Deep Purple, who was a more forward horse and had run on the Flat,” said the Llancarfan handler.

“Court Minstrel is a National Hunt-bred horse and it’s taken a bit of time to settle and educate him. There’s more education needed before he’s the finished article.”

[email protected]