Ahoy Senor is ready for Bravemansgame rematch in Cheltenham Festival’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

PETER SCUDAMORE – and three generations of his family – have enjoyed many landmark triumphs at the Cheltenham Festival.

Yet few will give the former champion jockey, and his family, as much pleasure as Ahoy Senor getting the measure of his rival Bravemansgame in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

It was Ahoy Senor who came out on top when the two horses clashed in a Grade One hurdle at Aintree’s Randox Grand National meeting last April.

But the Paul Nicholls-trained Bravemansgame was imperious under Harry Cobden when beating Ahoy Senor in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton last Boxing Day.

And the pair are set to lock horns again on Wednesday in what could be one of the most enthralling races at the annual Festival.

Both to go Cheltenham on the back of pleasing wins – Bravemansgame at Newbury while Ahoy Senor was dominant in Wetherby’s Towton Novices’ Chase when scoring by five and a half lengths under Derek Fox.

And eight-times champion jockey Scudamore, assistant trainer and partner to Lucinda Russell, was delighted with Ahoy Senor’s schooling session at Kelso last weekend.

“He schooled the downhill fences at Kelso on Saturday and hopefully, all being well, he will go to the Brown Advisory. He looked sharp and did everything we asked well,” said Scudamore as Ahoy Senor looks to become the first horse since Blaklion (2016) to complete the Wetherby and Cheltenham big race double.

“I know we thought about not taking him here, but he’ll go to the Brown Advisory. We obviously know it is a very hot race and you get a little bit frightened, because I think a lot of him.

“Then you think to yourself, there is only one Cheltenham and that is what we train one for, to get one there.

“I don’t think we lost anything in defeat at Kempton and he ran well at Wetherby. So we will go and see what happens.”

The 17 contenders also include the Venetia Williams-trained L’Homme Presse who is another novice to have improved enormously for the switch to fences, taking the Scilly Isles at Sandown last time out to provide jockey Charlie Deutsch with a first Grade One success.

Willie Mullins has left in Galopin Des Champs but has stated he is leaning towards a clash with Bob Olinger in the Turners Novices’ Chase over the shorter trip.

However Shishkin, Energumene and Chacun Pour Soi remain on course for a mouthwatering showdown in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase – the day two highlight.

The trio all feature in 10 confirmations for the two-mile showpiece at Cheltenham on Wednesday next week.

It will mean a rematch from the Clarence House Chase for Shishkin and Energumene – a race that will live long in the memory.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Shishkin will be bidding for a third Festival success, having already taken the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Arkle Trophy.

Like Energumene trained by the aforementioned Mullins, Chacun Pour Soi has yet to win outside of Ireland but appeared back to his brilliant best at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Nube Negra (Dan Skelton) was runner-up to Henry de Bromhead’s Put The Kettle On twelve months ago and will renew rivalry. De Bromhead could also run Envoi Allen.

And the grey Politologue is set for what could be the final outing of his career, as he looks to regain his crown from 2020 in the colours of John Hales whose One Man won the 1997 renewal.

Meanwhile, champion conditional Danny McMenamin is confident of being passed fit to ride Ian and Ann Hamilton’s Tommy’s Oscar in the Unibet Champion Hurdle on Tuesday.

He’s due to undergo a concussion test today following a fall at Musselburgh last week – with a view to riding at Ayr tomorrow. “I feel 100 per cent, so I should pass the test no bother,” he said yesterday.

In other news, connections of Conflated are “50-50” as to whether the Irish Gold Cup winner goes for the Ryanair Chase or the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

“We’re 50-50 between the races. We’ll wait to see what the ground is and see what everyone else is doing,” said Eddie O’Leary, racing manager for owners Gigginstown House Stud. “It will be a late decision.”