Fry happy to have Unowhatimeanharry back in fighting shape for Long Walk

Harry Fry holds an intriguing hand ahead of Saturday's JLT Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot and, regardless of whether progressive pair If The Cap Fits and Momella head to Ascot, he is confident that stable stalwart Unowhatimeanharry is ready to have a big say in the race.

Momella remains something of an unknown quantity to Fry after falling when in contention behind Unowhatimeanharry at Newbury last month. While If The Cap Fits, an impressive winner over an extended 2m3f at Ascot last month, has the option of going up or down in trip for his next assignment.

Watch Unowhatimeanharry win last month's Long Distance Hurdle

"Harry' is due to run, all being well," said Fry on Monday about the Long Distance Hurdle winner. "We'll make a decision through the week with Momella, because there’s an option to run her in the mares' handicap the day after Boxing Day at Kempton.

"We’re slightly in no man’s land after she capsized two out at Newbury which was a bit too early to know what would have happened. We've left her in the race to keep our options open.

"We've also given ourselves the option of Saturday for If The Cap Fits but no decision has been made as to whether he runs there or in the Christmas Hurdle [over two miles] on Boxing Day."

Unowhatimeanharry will be little more than a week shy of his 11th birthday but Fry is delighted with the way JP McManus's popular stayer – a winner of this race in 2016 – has come back to form this season after a frustrating 2017-18 campaign.

"We've been much happier with him this autumn and he made a nice comeback at Aintree over a trip which was too sharp for him. He was doing his best work at the end and progressed nicely coming out of that race.

"I was delighted to get him back in the winners' enclosure at Newbury, having looked last year as though maybe his light was fading."

Coral make Unowhatimeanharry 3-1 second favourite behind 2-1 market leader Call Me Lord, trained by Nicky Henderson, who has an entry in the Betfair Exchange Handicap on the same card, a race in which he would have to concede at least 10lb to his rivals.

If The Cap Fits has the option of stepping up in trip at Ascot on SaturdayCredit: Henry Browne

Fry will be up against Call Me Lord either way, with Jolly's Cracked It the sponsor's current 6-1 favourite to follow up his course and distance win last month after returning from 706-day break.

On Unowhatimeanharry, Fry added: "Lots of things were in his favour at Newbury, with the slower ground and not having to carry a penalty.

"Saturday is level weights but he seems in really good form and this will be his third time in the Long Walk, having won it and finished third. Hopefully he can run a really good race again."

Ascot was officially soft on both hurdle and chase courses on Monday following 16 millimetres of rain over the weekend, and is forecast to receive showers every day this week.

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