Dream horse Tobefair primed for Grade 1 clash with Paisley Park on Saturday

When Tobefair arrived at Debra Hamer's yard in Carmarthen in 2015 he had finished midfield or worse in five of his six races and was officially rated a mere 81.

Yet a meteoric rise through the ratings under Hamer's tutelage will take him to the Grade 1 summit on Saturday and a clash with all-conquering staying hurdler Paisley Park at Ascot.

Naturally, Hamer and the 17 members of the Down The Quay Club syndicate who own the nine-year-old are fond of the strong-galloping nine-year-old.

That is because he won seven races in succession and took them to the Cheltenham Festival for the 2017 Pertemps Network Final, for which he was better fancied in the betting than eventual winner Presenting Percy.

He may have disappointed that day but so nearly made amends when beaten a neck by Sire Du Berlais as a 40-1 shot in the same race this year.

Given his size and scope they expected him to be even better over fences and gave him every chance between those two festival appearances, but he never really produced his best as a chaser. Since reverting to hurdles in February he has never looked back.

Some of Tobefair's owners watch the race from the paddockCredit: Lewis Porteous

He has not finished out of the first three in five races, adding two Cheltenham wins in April and October to his near miss at the festival, and cemented a mark of 154 after a gallant third under top weight at the November meeting.

That means only Paisley Park and L'Ami Serge, who has been off the track for 580 days with a tendon injury, are rated officially higher in Saturday's Marsh Hurdle at Ascot.

"He's an amazing horse and we couldn't carry on in handicaps," said Hamer. "I thought he ran an amazing race last time to be third at Cheltenham carrying 26lb more than the winner [Golan Fortune], so I think that was our last handicap – and there's only one way he can go really.

"He won seven in a row when he joined us, he loved racing but he didn't take to fences, which was a surprise. You've got to try, he's a big 16.2 and, deep down, I think we all thought that's where he'd end up.

"We thought we'd have one or two runs and then go chasing but he kept winning and if something's working don't change it; so he had a full season.

"He's not been out the first three [since he went back over hurdles] and, as well as being physically fit, I think you've got to have them good in mind. He likes to go out a lot and a small yard seems to suit him.

"He does his work in the morning and goes out most afternoons. He especially likes getting covered in mud and it does him good mentally. He can't wait to go out."

Debra Hamer: 'he didn't take to fences, which was a surprise'Credit: Edward Whitaker

The mud will likely be flying at Ascot on Saturday with conditions expected to be quite testing, which should suit Tobefair.

His last two runs at Cheltenham were on ground described as heavy and then soft and all connected with Tobefair are just excited to be going to a Grade 1 with a shot at taking on the best staying hurdler in training.

"I'd like to think he'll run well. It's right-handed and most of his runs have been left-handed, but it's quite a stiff track," said Hamer. "He loves Cheltenham, but he's really well in himself and I think when they're ready you've got to go – they tell you when they're ready.

"We're all very excited, he's one of the top-rated horses in Wales and it's every owner and trainer's dream to have a horse like him. I don't always think he gets as much recognition as he deserves, but he has a lot of grit and determination and I love that about him."

Given his love of Cheltenham the festival is again on his agenda, although Hamer is trying not to get carried away.

"We'll see how he is but I don't want to look too far in advance," she said. "Obviously, we have ideas and hopefully if everything goes to plan we can look at Cheltenham again and something like the Stayers' Hurdle.

"I'd prefer to take it one week at a time though, but it's very exciting and we're all getting a bit more used to having to think about these sorts of races."

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