Weld’s ride could offer chance of Triumph Hurdle win

The master of Rosewell House has claimed some big-race winners all over the globe but has tasted success on the hallowed turf of Cheltenham in March just once – ironically enough in the Triumph Hurdle with Rare Holiday in 1990.

To be fair, Weld does not have that many runners at the course and Unaccompanied is the first to fly the flag for her owner, the Moyglare Stud, in the National Hunt arena, with their colours more familiar to aficianados of the Flat.

Indeed, their filly started her racing career in that sphere, landing a couple of events over a mile before having her attentions switched to obstacles.

And she has taken to them like a duck to water.

First came a nine-length romp at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve before she took the step up to Grade One company in her stride with an authoritative performance at Leopardstown on the rearranged Hennessy card.

True, her best efforts have come with plenty of give underfoot and there has been a threat of quick ground all week, but the heavy showers that are forecast for Prestbury Park this morning will play to her strengths and she looks the answer to a less-than-excellent renewal.

The prize for the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle could also be heading back to the Emerald Isle, because Willie Mullins’s Blackstairmountain turns up on a lovely weight for a Grade One winner.

The Champion Hurdle was the ambition at the start of the campaign, until a couple of defeats caused connections into a re-think.

Given time to recover since the latest of those reverses, Ireland’s champion trainer has brought him back to the boil and he is preferred to stable companion Final Approach.

Nicky Henderson has not enjoyed a lot of luck in the past week or so but his Bobs Worth (nap) is the class act of the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Close to favourite for the Neptune Investment Managment Novices’ Hurdle until a surprise absentee from the final declarations on Tuesday morning, Henderson is of the opinion his exciting prospect will appreciate three miles more and his course defeat of Rock On Ruby was given a boost by the runner-up here earlier in the week.

Ferdy Murphy has not given De Boitron too hard a time this season and his patience can be rewarded in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase.

The course and distance winner did not fire behind Dave’s Dream at the Open meeting but reappeared with a second to Pret A Thou at Catterick and may be peaking at the right time.

Palomar, trained at Norton by Brian Ellison, found the two miles of the totesport Trophy too short at Newbury and will relish the extra half-mile of the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, and he gets on well with Fearghal Davis.

Last year’s Christie’s Foxhunter Chase hero Baby Run has swept all before him this season but today’s renewal is arguably more competitive and the Paul Nicholls-trained Just Amazing represents better value.