Summerville Boy to take aim at Kalashnikov again in Supreme

Summerville Boy will try to maintain his supremacy over Betfair Hurdle winner Kalashnikov in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, which gets the Cheltenham Festival under way next Tuesday.

Trainer Tom George had been holding fire as to whether Summerville Boy would run in the Supreme or step up in trip for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle after his victory over Kalashnikov in the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown in January, but declared that Tuesday’s opener is now the preferred option.

He said about the general 10-1 chance for the Supreme: “Nothing is set in stone but I think it is more than likely that Summerville Boy will go down the Supreme route, where he is going to meet Kalashnikov again. The form of the Sandown race has obviously been boosted by that horse’s win at Newbury last month.”

Tom George: expects to take 12 to 14 runners to the festival

Summerville Boy races in the colours of Roger Brookhouse, and George also confirmed that the owner's Black Op would almost certainly take his chance in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle rather than attempting three miles for the first time in the Albert Bartlett.

Black Op was on Tuesday available at 14-1 for the Ballymore and George said: “The horse looked as if he had done enough in the Grade 2 hurdle on trials day back in January to win the race but then got the last all wrong and narrowly went under to Santini. He has loads of pace so the shorter trip of the Ballymore should suit him better.”

Fehily back on board

Noel Fehily will renew his partnership with both Brookhouse-owned horses and George said: “Owners like to have their own jockey these days and you have to go with the flow about these things.

“Noel has ridden for Roger for years and has always been his first choice rider when available – it’s not a problem in the least. In fact, Noel will be coming to school the two horses on Thursday morning and has been in to ride them out plenty of times in the past.”

Back to the drawing board

George reckons he will be sending a team of around 12 to 14 horses to the festival and is looking forward to Singlefarmpayment taking his chance in the Ultima Handicap Chase as he is hopeful the jumping issues that have plagued the horse since his fall in the Ladbroke Trophy at Newbury in November are a thing of the past.

He said about the general 10-1 shot: “Things have not gone his way in two runs since he came down at Newbury and we have taken him for jumping lessons at Yogi Breisner's in the hope of getting him back on the straight and narrow. He has been in good heart schooling at home since and seems to be enjoying things.”

The trainer is also sweet on the chances of The Worlds End in the Sun Bets Stayers’ Hurdle as long as the ground is suitable.

He said: “He has simply been struggling in the very deep ground and we know that he wants better underfoot conditions along the lines he got at Aintree last spring when he posted a very brave Grade 1 victory.”

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