Audacious Ahoy Senor Gold Cup bid not ruled out - but Brown Advisory most likely

Lucinda Russell hopes Ahoy Senor will pass his Towton test with flying colours at Wetherby on Saturday to tee up a likely tilt at the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, although options are open with the exciting top-level winner also entered in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Good ground at Cheltenham on Saturday was a deciding factor in Ahoy Senor being aimed at the William Hill-sponsored Grade 2 event rather than stepping out of novice company in the Cotswold Chase, won by Chantry House.

Ahoy Senor is 4-5 with the race sponsors to return to winning ways at Wetherby after he finished second to Bravemansgame, whom he beat in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree last season, in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase in December.

Towton Novices' Chase (2.30 Saturday): racecard and entries

Russell said: “He’ll be going to Wetherby as long as the ground stays good to soft, which would be fine, and that’s the key factor in us heading there rather than the Cotswold Chase last weekend.

“Our aim is to get him a nice, confidence-boosting clear round to set him up for the spring to go to Cheltenham. We’re involved with a very good horse here and we’re trying to produce him to be the best he can be. There’s anxiety and tension going into any race, but I do know he’s very good."

Ahoy Senor is a best priced 66-1 with Paddy Power and Betfair Sportsbook to land the Gold Cup, a feat last achieved by a novice when Coneygree struck in 2015, but the Brown Advisory, for which he is a 8-1 chance, is a more likely aim.

Russell said: “The Brown Advisory is the most likely target at Cheltenham. He's in the Gold Cup, but probably lacks a little bit of experience for that. We don’t know what the situation, fields or weather will be like come March, so we’ve kept our options open.

“He’s one of the best we’ve dealt with, but we’ll have to see nearer the time whether the Gold Cup would be the right race for him at this point.”

Mighty Thunder (left): Scottish National winner could run at Musselburgh on SaturdayCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Mighty Thunder could lead Russell’s team at Musselburgh’s Scottish festival trials weekend, with the bet365 Edinburgh National on his radar prior to the Grand National. With Derek Fox riding Ahoy Senor at Wetherby, Tom Scudamore may be reunited with last season's Scottish National winner.

Russell triumphed at Aintree with One For Arthur in 2017, and said: “Mighty Thunder is likely to go for the Edinburgh National and we’re hoping to set him up for the Grand National. We’ve schooled him over some Aintree-style fences and he absolutely loved it.

“It’s an exciting situation right now. We’ve got some lovely young horses, I was riding along this morning thinking what a fantastic season we’ve had and how enthralling it is for us and everyone involved at the yard.

"We know how to produce a good horse – we’ve had Brindisi Breeze, One For Arthur and others – and to suddenly have a number of horses we think are above average is a good reason to get up in the morning.”

Progressive novice chaser Corach Rambler is being aimed at the Ultima, while Haydock Listed mares’ novice hurdle winner Haute Estime will step up to Grade 2 company in the Weatherbys-sponsored Jane Seymour Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Sandown on February 17.

Towton Novices' Chase

William Hill: 4-5 Ahoy Senor, 4 Saint Palais, Does He Know, 10 Doyen Breed, 12 Kiltealy Briggs, 14 bar

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