'It's not a bad move at all' - Triumph hope Scriptwriter makes all-weather start

Scriptwriter will bring an unexpected Cheltenham Festival focus to Wolverhampton's all-weather meeting after the Triumph Hurdle hopeful was declared to run on Friday's evening card.

The three-year-old made a perfect start to hurdling this season with two wins, including at Grade 2 level at Cheltenham's November meeting, and is now priced at 20-1 for the JCB-sponsored juvenile Grade 1 on the final day of the festival.

However, Scriptwriter will revert to the Flat, where he is officially rated 102, for the first time since April for Wolverhampton's feature 1m4f handicap (6.00) on Friday.

Trainer Milton Harris said: "I would have given him a piece of work this weekend because he's fresh and well, so we might as well give him a piece of work for £25,000 at Wolverhampton!

"He was declared to run at Doncaster and then Cheltenham earlier this month and unfortunately we lost both meetings due to the weather. Then we went for Chepstow on Tuesday but he's a speed horse, and in the end we didn't like the ground, so we didn't run."

"I suppose if we'd lost a bit more racing they'd be putting on more bumpers and we'd probably have run him in one of those for £4,000, so I don't think it's a bad move at all."

Scriptwriter was last seen on the Flat in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes in April for his former trainer Aidan O'Brien, finishing fifth just a neck behind his then-stablemate Bluegrass.

Scriptwriter: winner of the Grade 2 Triumph Trial last month at CheltenhamCredit: Edward Whitaker

Friday's contest will mark his first start on the all-weather, where he carries a top weight of 9st 10lb under Rob Hornby, who has ridden four winners for Harris.

"I've known Rob a long time and he's a top-class jockey," the trainer said. "Paddy Brennan has been on the phone to him this afternoon trying to give him some advice on how to ride the horse too.

"It's not the end of the world if he gets beaten, he doesn't have an unbeaten record on the Flat like he does over hurdles, but I'd expect him to run really well. It's his first time on the synthetic surface but he works on it at home and I'm very happy with him."

Harris hopes to send Scriptwriter straight to Cheltenham Trials' day on January 29 following his all-weather appearance before the Adonis Hurdle the following month, which was won last year by stablemate Knight Salute.

"Hopefully Scriptwriter running might get a few more in the gate for an evening all-weather card," Harris added. "I won't be going myself as I have runners at Taunton. I don't think he needs me there to run to the level of form – those may be famous last words!"

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