'There's a lot resting on it' - Gidleigh Park and Anno Power head to Windsor as Harry Fry looks to ignite festival hopes

The exciting Gidleigh Park will head to Windsor's lucrative meeting on Friday in a bid to get his career back on track after suffering from an irregular heartbeat when pulled up on his only start of the season.

The Harry Fry-trained seven-year-old managed to jump only five fences before Bryan Carver brought his chasing debut to an end at Kempton in November. Fry has kept him off the track since but reports him A1 as he prepares for the £75,000 Fitzdares Lightning Novices' Chase, one of eight races being broadcast on ITV.

The giant Gidleigh Park looked a class act over hurdles last season, winning three times including in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham on Trials day. He was sent off 9-2 for the Albert Bartlett but finished sixth, and Fry hopes to plot another spring campaign if he can make a promising return in the Grade 2. 

Harry Fry: bidding to kickstart his season at the Berkshire Winter Million weekendCredit: Edward Whitaker

He said: "He's been given the all-clear by the vets and we've been happy with him as we've gone back up through the gears. He schooled really nicely in the week, so we're looking forward to it. He reset himself within 24 hours of Kempton and it's all gone smoothly since.

"We're starting from scratch as you can put a line through his [chase] debut, but hopefully he can progress from this into the spring. This is very much the starting point and we'll build from there.

"Running in a Grade 2 is not our first choice, but this is the only level-weights novice chase we can run in now. It's about getting him back, having some experience over fences and coming through in one piece. We've made no secret about what we think of him and can't wait to get him back out."

It has been a testing season for Dorset-based Fry, who has had seven winners from 69 runners, well below his normal strike-rate, and the three-day Berkshire Winter Million meeting, starting on Friday, will be a big one for the team.

Anno Power is clear of her rivals at Cheltenham in AprilCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Mares' Novice Hurdle prospect Anno Power is also set to put her Cheltenham credentials on the line. She will look to build on a narrow Sandown win in Sunday's 2m mares' novice hurdle, a race Fry won with Love Envoi on the way to festival success in 2022.

The trainer said: "She did well in the circumstances at Sandown to get up to win, but she wasn't 100 per cent after the race, that's why we haven't seen her since. She's all good now and will run this weekend. It's a step up in grade, but we'll get more of a pointer as we look towards spring targets. 

"Love Envoi won it en route to winning the mares' novice hurdle so we know it's a good stepping stone, although you'd imagine there will be some good mares in the race. The way our season has gone means there's a lot resting on the weekend."

Read more:

Jonbon and Energumene on course for first clash in Clarence House Chase 

Willie Mullins makes three entries for £400,000 day one Berkshire Million card at Windsor - including a dual Grade 1 winner 

What's on this week: big money on offer at the three-day Berkshire Winter Million as Jonbon bids for more Grade 1 glory

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