Project Bluebook to go on festival trial at Musselburgh

Progressive hurdler Project Bluebook is set to attempt to press his Cheltenham Festival claims at Musselburgh this weekend, with trainer John Quinn confirming the four-year-old will race in one of the trials at the track's two-day fixture.

A fair handicapper on the Flat, Project Bluebook had his first run over hurdles in December and has readily taken to his new discipline, with two wins at Musselburgh following his second on debut at Catterick.

Those performances persuaded JP McManus to purchase the son of Sinndar from Ross Harmon, and Project Bluebook will run for his new owner in either the bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle trial on Saturday or the Sky Bet Supreme Scottish Trial on Sunday.

Musselburgh 1.30 card

Sandown 3.00 card

He is a general 25-1 shot for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the festival, but can be backed at double those odds for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Quinn said on Thursday: "We're going to make our minds up tonight but all being well he'll run in one of those trials. He likes the track and prefers better ground, although he's won on soft. He seems in good nick and we always felt he was a nice horse before he ran over hurdles."

At Sandown, Suzy Smith is hopeful the forecast testing conditions will suit Little Boy Boru in the Grade 3 Betfred Mobile Heroes Handicap Hurdle.

The nine-year-old is at the foot of the handicap following Thursday's declarations and the Sandown hurdles course is described as soft, heavy in places.

It is a race Smith has done well in, winning it in 2015 with Invicta Lake, while Little Boy Boru was fourth 12 months ago.

"The ground was probably a bit too gluey for him last year," Smith said. "He likes it bottomless, almost unraceable. He tends to do well in decent handicaps with no weight.

"From a stamina point of view, three miles with a stiff finish is a little bit against him. He has to come from the back and it's a case of timing it right. I'd be hopeful of a good run."

Little Boy Boru is one of the outsiders at 25-1, with Rolling Dylan heading the market at 11-2 for Philip Hobbs, who, like Smith, has a good record in the race, winning it twice in the last three years.