Jefferson: Various options for Cyrus Darius

MALCOLM Jefferson intends to keep his options open after potential Champion Hurdle contender Cyrus Darius returned to winning ways at Kelso.
Cyrus Darius ridden by Brian Hughes won at Kelso yesterday.Cyrus Darius ridden by Brian Hughes won at Kelso yesterday.
Cyrus Darius ridden by Brian Hughes won at Kelso yesterday.

The lightly-raced horse’s first victory since a winning chase debut at Perth 18 months ago, plans depend on the eight-year-old’s fitness following the Timeform Morebattle Hurdle.

Though Cyrus Darius holds an entry in the Champion Hurdle, a race wide open following the injury-enforced absences of past winners Annie Power and Faugheen, Jefferson’s charge was on the sidelines for 16 months with a tendon injury before last month’s comeback race at Haydock when fourth to The New One, a perennial yardstick.

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The County Hurdle, one of the top handicaps at the National Hunt Festival, is also coming under consideration.

Ridden by the in-form Brian Hughes who has now eclipsed his previous career-best tally of 106 winners in a season, the task facing the popular Malton horse was made much easier by the fall two out of favourite Born Survivor. It left the winner with seven lengths in hand over the runner-up One For Harry.

“We thought he’d improve quite a lot from Haydock. He is a big horse and took a bit of getting ready and I think he’ll come on a lot more for today,” said Jefferson.

“It was a pity, as if the other horse hadn’t come down it would been a good race. I’m glad he won, but it would have given him a real blow.

“[We have] no plans for him at the moment.

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“I want to see how he is in a week’s time because he did have a little problem with a leg.

“It hasn’t bothered him and it’s tightened up since Haydock.

“We just want to make sure everything is right with him before we make any plans.

“He is a good horse and we like him.”

Earlier the Jefferson-trained and Hughes-ridden Firth Of The Clyde, another horse on the comeback trail, was a remote second to Saphir Du Rheu in the Ivan Straker Memorial Chase.

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Winning for the first time in 15 months, this enigmatic horse – ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies – has eyecatching entries.

A former Grade One winner, he’s never quite hit the heights anticipated by owner Andy Stewart.

“He needed a confidence booster and won as he should have done,” said champion trainer Paul Nicholls. “He’s in everything – a handicap at Cheltenham, the Gold Cup, the Grand National. He could go back to Kelso on March 4 for another race like that (Premier Chase).

“We’ll make a plan, but basically nothing’s ruled in and nothing’s ruled out.”

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Meanwhile Don Poli, ante-post favourite for the Randox Health Grand National with most bookmakers, is a doubtful runner according to Eddie O’Leary.

O’Leary, racing manager for his brother Michael’s Gigginstown House Stud operation, claims British Horseracing Authority Handicapper Phil Smith has been too harsh on the Gordon Elliott-trained eight-year-old, rating him 2lb higher than his official Irish mark, for the Aintree showpiece on April 8.

Ironically the weights were announced before Haydock’s long-established National trial which takes place tomorrow.

The field is headed by Blaklion who won last season’s Towton Novices Chase at Wetherby and then the RSA Chase at Cheltenham – Willie Twiston-Davies, younger son of the horse’s trainer Nigel, deputises for the injury-sidelined Ryan Hatch.

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Meanwhile Wakanda and Vintage Clouds represents High Eldwick trainer Sue Smith.

In other racing news, Warren Greatrex has issued a positive update on the form of Cole Harden, a favourite with Wetherby regulars.

Ridden by Gavin Sheehan, the front-runner landed the 2014 West Yorkshire Hurdle en route to Stayers’ Hurdle glory the following March. Now, after a disappointing chase debut at Wetherby last December, Cole Harden is on track for the Sun Bet Stayer’s Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival following an eyecatching run nearly a fortnight ago when a strong second to the highly-regarded Unowhatimeanharry who is owned by JP McManus.

“That was basically his best run since he won the Stayers’ Hurdle and that was on ground that he doesn’t enjoy,” said Greatrex.

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“He was suffering from a knee injury last year. He was finding it hard and I think it was getting him down. This season, he seems to have a new lease of life and his work has been brilliant. We haven’t had any hold ups at the moment and touch wood it all goes to plan between now and then because seems in as good a form as when he won it.

“I have got the utmost respect for the favourite Unowhatimeanharry. He looks very solid and is definitely the one to beat. If the ground came up good, he might be a bit more vulnerable than on softer ground, whereas we are the other way round.”