Cheltenham Festival - Course form could be key for Yorkshire challenger Midnight Shadow

Her strapping seven-year-old will be taking on the very best novice steeplechasers in Britain and Ireland at the National Hunt Festival. But she hopes course form – Midnight Shadow has two previous wins at Cheltenham – will play to the strengths of the Yorkshire challenger who is the mount of Danny Cook.

A winner over hurdles at Cheltenham last season, Midnight Shadow then prevailed at the track on New Year’s Day in the Dipper Novices’ Chase when Champ, the long-time leader, crashed out at the penultimate fence. He did, however, come from a mile back to win the RSA Chase yesterday.

However Midnight Shadow – owned by Cyril and Aafke Clarke – went on to put up a career-best performance under Danny Cook when chasing home Itchy Feet, one of the favourites for today’s test, in the Grade One Scilly Isles Novices Chase at Sandown early last month.

Midnight Shadow was briefly infront at the last before the Olly Murphy-trained Itchy Feet showed a nifty turn of pace on the run-in under jockey Gavin Sheehan after a pecking on landing at second last.

But Smith is quietly hopeful of a strong showing as she seeks her second winner at the Cheltenham Festival – the first was Mister McGoldrick in 2008.

“The positive thing is that he goes there in excellent form and the horse takes very well to Cheltenham,” the High Eldwick trainer told The Yorkshire Post.

“It is a very competitive race – he’s done nothing wrong – and we go there hoping that he can put up a big performance. You are always taking on the best when you go down there.”

Smith, whose Grand National hopeful Vintage Clouds was unplaced in Tuesday’s Ultima Handicap Chase in the wake of a 11lb rise in the handicap following his Peter Marsh Chase win at Haydock, also believes Midnight Shadow’s development in five steeplechase races this season is another plus.

“He’s learned a lot and, dare I say it, is a good jumper,” she said. “He has a lovely attitude and tries his very best when he goes to the racetrack – you can’t ask for more than that.”

Meanwhile Catterick trainer Phil Kirby runs Louis’ Vac Pouch in the Plate. He will be ridden by Tommy Dowson who is also on Donna’s Diamond for Chris Grant in the Stayers’ Hurdle.