Long Run focused on jumping skills for Gold Cup

Even though he is conceding weight to his highly-rated rivals, jockey Sam Waley-Cohen is taking nothing for granted after his horse-of-a-lifetime suffered two reverses to the revitalised Kauto Star this season.

Waley-Cohen says that Cheltenham is when winning matters – and that he wants to see Long Run show greater respect of his obstacles rather than brush through the top, a trait of many chasers bred, like Nicky Henderson’s stable star, in France.

The challenge is illustrated by champion trainer Paul Nicholls saddling Gold Cup fourth What A Friend, co-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, and the veteran Tidal Bay, while David Bridgwater’s stable star The Giant Bolster – a recent Cheltenham winner for Tom Scudamore – will ensure a competitive pace.

“It’s always really exciting riding Long Run and it’s going to be a good, competitive race,” said Waley-Cohen.

“You always want to win these races, but it isn’t going to be easy. A horse like What A Friend was only just fourth in the Gold Cup last year and we have to give him a significant amount of weight tomorrow, so you have to take that into consideration.

“It’s a warm race in it’s own right and an important prep on the road to Cheltenham. The run should set him up perfectly for the Gold Cup.”

Waley-Cohen does not believe the race being delayed almost a week, because of Newbury’s abandonment last weekend, will adversely effect Long Run’s Cheltenham preparations.

“The race is a bit closer to Cheltenham than it should have been, but there is more than enough time between today and the Gold Cup, so we’re very happy,” he added.

What A Friend was beaten by just a head by stablemate Noland in this race last year and runs for the first time since October when he was a disappointing third to Restless Harry in Wetherby’s John Smith’s Hurdle.

“He doesn’t have a penalty for the race this year and the plan is to run here and then in the Cheltenham Gold Cup,” said Nicholls.

“We couldn’t run him after Wetherby as he came back a really sick horse. He’s way more forward in his coat than he was this time last year, so I can see him running really well.”

Bridgwater is under no illusions about the task facing The Giant Bolster, but he would rather run him in a race such as this than in a competitive handicap with a big weight.

“He’s absolutely flying and we’re taking on the big boys now, so we’ll see what happens,” said Bridgwater.

“The top horse (Long Run) is different gravy, but you can make reasons why the others shouldn’t win, our horse included.

“I was a bit nervous about running him off his rating in a big handicap. In something like the Racing Plus Chase with a big weight, you’re going to have a hard race. It might be a year too early for him, but we’ll have a crack.”

A high-class card, likely to be rich in Cheltenham clues, sees Sprinter Sacre steps out of novice company for the first time in the rescheduled Betfair Super Saturday Chase.

After turning in a superb round of jumping on his fencing debut at Doncaster, Henderson’s top novice pummelled Peddlers Cross at Kempton to leap to the head of the ante-post betting for the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham next month.

“He’s done what we’ve asked him and he was a very good novice hurdler, plus bumper horse, plus everything,” said Henderson.

Meanwhile Zarkandar, Paul Nicholls’ aspiring star, finally gets his season underway in the Betfair Hurdle.

Nicholls has maintained last year’s Triumph winner is primarily being prepared for the Champion Hurdle, but a share of the £152,500 prize money on offer would not be turned away by connections.

“He was unbeaten last year winning the Adonis, the Triumph and then at Aintree, and he’s on a handicap mark based on what he achieved last season. Whether he’s well in or not, we’ll know after this,” said the champion trainer.

“He had a breathing operation in the summer, because he was always making a noise last year, but he had a little setback in October when he was cast in his box and missed two or three weeks work.

“I said to his owners that he wasn’t going to be ready for Christmas, so we should give him one run and go for the Champion Hurdle, which has always been our target.”