'A big day for everybody' - Bewley and Graham relishing Aye Right Newbury tilt

Callum Bewley believes the jumping and galloping Aye Right could be the horse to get his rivals out of their comfort zone when lining up for Saturday's Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury.

Aye Right is one of just eight horses trained in the Scottish Borders by Harriet Graham – who also works as clerk of the course at Hamilton and Musselburgh – but neither bookmakers nor punters missed his fine effort in third behind Cyrname in last month's Charlie Hall Chase.

Now 7-1 joint-favourite with the sponsors at the head of a crowded market for one of the traditional pre-Christmas highlights of the jumps season, Aye Right had all bar Cyrname hard at it when blazing along in front at Wetherby.

Ladbrokes Trophy card and betting

"He's just so straightforward from a jockey's point of view," said Bewley, who will be having his first ride at Newbury on Saturday. "He's very forward-going, jumps very well.

"He's maybe not the biggest horse in the world but in terms of what he can do out on the racecourse, he's very special. The way he can jump and travel, he seems to get horses off the bridle a long way from home and he's in his comfort zone."

Bewley has watched lots of videos of past runnings of the race and will go for a jog around the track to help him visualise the challenge.

Aye Right and Callum Bewley (white silks) jumping alongside Cyrname in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at WetherbyCredit: Dan Abraham

While he freely admitted this will be the biggest test of his career, he told a media conference staged by Great British Racing that he believes Aye Right is up to the challenge.

"I've been very well supported by a lot of people and Saturday’s a very big day for everybody.

"I know it’s easy to say now but I've always thought the world of him," said Bewley. "Even when he's been beaten in races, the heart he shows is serious. He just tries that hard for you. He's a good one and hopefully he can prove it on Saturday."

Graham has recovered from a fractured pelvis sustained in bizarre circumstances sufficiently to make the trip down to Newbury.

While Graham believes the race is wide open – when asked which rival she fears most she said "all of them" – the trainer is looking forward to renewing rivalry with Vinndication, with whom Aye Right is 7lb better off for a five-length beating in the Charlie Hall.

Graham said of Aye Right's Wetherby run: "It was a great performance. We would have been quite content and still probably coming to the Ladbrokes [Trophy] if we'd been fifth or sixth.

"Vinndication is a really good horse as well and Kim Bailey is an extremely good trainer who I really respect. But you have to think this may be a chance for us to get closer. I did watch his schooling around Newbury and I know it wasn't racing but it was a bit sketchy in places, I'm sure everyone would agree."

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