Countdown to Festival
THE countdown to next week's Cheltenham Festival begins with a dress rehearsal on the Towcester gradients this weekend when the track stages a Mothering Sunday fixture (first race 2.20pm).
Local trainers Alex Hales and Paul Webber will both be searching for a
morale-boosting success for their yards, with Dinarius being lined up for a
decidedly easier fixture than an entry he holds 48 hours later.
The Hales-trained five-year-old could still contest the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Festival, but as his handler believes he falls short of top class, his indulgence for stiff tracks on a Sunday may see him take his chance in the PP Business
Improvement Handicap Hurdle over 2m.
Dinarius is owned by the former Saudi Arabian ambassador to the UK, AS Helaissi, whose colours have already twice been sent out from Edgcote this season to score at Carlisle in November and at Towcester last month.
Dinarius is something of a tricky ride, and needs to be held up well off the pace to be seen to his best advantage, tactics which were employed favourably by
Paddy Merrigan at Carlisle and then by Noel Fehily when that jockey rode a
treble at Towcester back on January 24.
With that jockey now sidelined for several months after aggravating an old shoulder injury at Cheltenham, Sam Jones took over the ride at Leicester last week, only to take a tumble from the mount when he tried fences.
Meanwhile, Cropredy Lawn
handler Webber is hopeful an afternoon at Towcester holds the key to
Cheltenham glory, as he has entered both Here's The Key in the Whittlebury Hall Hotel and Spa Mares' Novices' Hurdle and Key Cutter in the handicap hurdle, later in the afternoon.
Here's The Key, a daughter of Dark Moondancer, has turned in some solid rather than spectacular efforts so far, having run fifth of 10 to Bathwick Quest on her only outing here in November,
although she has also managed a
fourth and third in other runs in
novice company.
Key Cutter won his only race so far in March last year, but has been desperately unlucky not to score twice at Huntingdon this season, finishing runner-up on both visits to that track.
Webber could also be on the mark with Edgevine in the 2m 3 1/2f Betfair Training Series Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, a contest where Culworth trainer Paul Cowley could be represented by Grand Article.
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Weather for Daventry
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
