Harriet Tucker bids for Foxhunter history on Pacha Du Polder after 2018 heroics

St James's Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase (Class 2) | 3m2½f (New), 5yo+ | ITV

Harriet Tucker filed one of the most awe-inspiring chapters in Cheltenham Festival folklore when defying a dislocated shoulder to land the 2018 Foxhunter Chase on Pacha Du Polder.

She returns poised to complete a remarkable comeback and maybe make a little history.

A year ago Tucker rode through the pain barrier after dislocating her troublesome right shoulder, gritting her teeth to get her game partner home under a left-hand drive.

The medical advice she received subsequently suggested she might not be able to return to the saddle and spent months waiting for the required corrective surgery.

In the end, the operation was a success and she made a successful return at Larkhill point-to-point in January.

"I’m raring to go and so is Pacha," she said on Thursday. "My shoulder has been fine, so I can't wait for it to happen now."

Tucker's only recent racecourse spin came on Pacha Du Polder, when the Paul Nicholls-trained 12-year-old failed to make an impact behind Road To Rome – who reopposes – at Haydock last month.

He clearly needs to make a big leap forward if he is to become the first horse to win the Foxhunter three times.

Harriet Tucker: battles through the pain barrier to get Pacha Du Polder home in front last year after dislocating her shoulderCredit: Grossick Racing 07710461723

"He's come out of the Haydock race very well," said Tucker. "You couldn’t be disappointed with it as he did something similar at Doncaster last year and still won at Cheltenham."

A strong-finishing fifth in 2016 under Victoria Pendleton, Pacha Du Polder became the second successive back-to-back winner last year after On The Fringe’s brace.

Nine horses have achieved the double but none has completed the hat-trick, Salsify and On The Fringe both falling short in recent years.

"I’d love to do it again and be on him for three in a row," said Tucker. "He maybe should have been going for it last year, so I’m delighted to get the chance."

The On The Fringe team of Enda Bolger and JP McManus provide another big player in Stand Up And Fight, who is touted as one of the division’s rising stars after a decisive victory at Down Royal over Christmas.

He has since been beaten in a point-to-point but Bolger, who also trained and rode Elegant Lord to land the 1996 race, will doubtless have him primed.

KEY NUMBER

4 – the number of victories Paul Nicholls and Richard Barber have had in the race. If Pacha Du Polder wins, Nicholls would become the race's most successful trainer.

What they say

Gina Andrews, rider of Haymount
We're hopeful. His first point-to-point run was very good and he'd had a flu jab only ten days before his last run. It definitely affected him, he did win but only just. He's a lot better now and has really good form – he was third behind Tiger Roll in the National Hunt Chase two years ago.

Joe O'Shea, trainer of Road To Rome
The only thing that will beat us is the extra two furlongs and the hill – I'm not bothered about the opposition. This is some machine, but he's not bred to stay and I've always run him on a Flat track, although he'll give it everything. The tactic is 'catch us if you can'. He's a freak, a one-off freak. I'm asking a lot of him as I couldn't find a harder track on soft ground.

Richard Hobson, trainer of Shantou Flyer
David Maxwell has got to know him well, which is important. I wouldn’t say he has a quirky side but he can be lazy, which is probably why he goes so well around Cheltenham, as he does his best work at the end. He's in great order and I'd say he's exactly where he was going into the festival last year.

Derek O'Connor, rider of Stand Up And Fight
It’s a big concern that he lacks experience of park fences but he's in very good form and has a lot of class, so I’d be hopeful of a good run. He's a very good-moving horse, so it would suit him if it dried up a bit.

Jamie Codd, rider of Ucello Conti
I rode him out on Thursday and he has taken it all in his stride. He seems tailor-made for this discipline and if he gets a clear passage round I'd like to think he has a great chance.

Spotlight verdict

Enda Bolger knows what it takes to win this race and his promising 7yo Stand Up And Fight has to be feared. Road To Rome has been a revelation for his new yard, while Ucello Conti and Shantou Flyer are serious players judged on their past handicap form. However, the vote goes to Hazel Hill, who has a remarkable strike-rate and bounded clear for an impressive success at Warwick most recently. He remains unbeaten in hunter chases and comes here better than ever. Pacha Du Polder's poor comeback run suggests he won't be winning this race for a third time.
Steve Boow

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