'He's a major Triumph contender' - Scriptwriter out to make it back-to-back wins for Milton Harris

Milton Harris hit the big time with Knight Salute last season and the Wiltshire-based trainer has another smart juvenile in his yard in the shape of recent Cheltenham second Scriptwriter.

Scriptwriter contested Group races on the Flat, but he has become a better hurdler and already holds a verdict over the reopposing Perseus Way, who he beat in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham.

That was back in November and Scriptwriter reverted to the Flat to win at Wolverhampton on his next outing before returning to Cheltenham to find only Comfort Zone too good last time.

That is the best hurdle form on offer, but Scriptwriter has to carry a penalty for his Grade 2 victory and probably needs a career-best to emulate stablemate Knight Salute’s win last year.

Nusret has chased home the Triumph Hurdle favourite and second favourite on his last two starts. He was beaten 16 and a half lengths by Lossiemouth at Leopardstown over Christmas, but finished further behind Blood Destiny when an 18-and-a-half-length third at Fairyhouse last time.

If he wins this race it will spell trouble for the British Triumph Hurdle challenge but, whatever the result, we will learn more about the pecking order in the juvenile division.

Paul Nicholls has won this five times since 2009 and all his winners were lightly raced over hurdles. Rare Middleton has run just once over obstacles when justifying 2-5 favouritism in a maiden at Taunton last month and he was value for more than a three-quarter-length win.

Ben Brookhouse has made a good start to his training career, with two winners from nine runners, and one of those was Sarsons Risk in a maiden at Doncaster 16 days ago. He won easily by five lengths that day, landing a big gamble after being backed to 7-2 joint-favourite.

Sarsons Risk was rated 82 on the Flat and is another lightly raced hurdler with big potential.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

'I had thought about going straight for the Triumph, but this is a good race in its own right'

Most of Scriptwriter's seven rivals are on a fact-finding mission for future targets, but trainer Milton Harris is in no doubt about his smart juvenile's spring destination; the JCB Triumph Hurdle.

The former Ballydoyle inmate followed up a winning hurdling debut at Sedgefield with a Grade 2 success at Cheltenham before being narrowly beaten by Comfort Zone in a similar contest on Trials day last month.

"I'm trying not to tempt fate, but I think he's a major contender in the Triumph," said Harris. "He was a hardy horse with Aidan O'Brien and was a lead horse for their best horses, but he now believes he's a proper horse too."

Harris won this race last year with Knight Salute and is hoping to spoil the Irish's party in the opening race on St. Patrick's Day next month, with Scriptwriter the shortest-priced British horse in the betting.

Harris said: "I had thought about going straight for the Triumph, but this is a good race in its own right and he's the favourite. He needs to take his chance. We've got to carry a penalty but we deserve to have one."

What they say

Gary Moore, trainer of Perseus Way
He’s got a bit to do on ratings but this race is basically the same as the Boodles at the Cheltenham Festival, so it’s definitely worth a go. I’m not saying he won’t go to Cheltenham, but it made a lot of sense to us to target this race with him first.

Anthony Bromley, racing manager to Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, owners of Nusret
Daryl's [Jacob] been quite keen to get him right-handed on good ground. We're looking forward to an improved effort on the better ground. He's entered in the Boodles at Cheltenham but this will tell us what our next step will be. It might be we keep him for Aintree or just Punchestown.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Rare Middleton
He won nicely at Taunton last time, but this is a big step forward and he's got to step up again. That said, he did win well. We'll know a lot more about where we stand afterwards.

Ben Brookhouse, trainer of Sarsons Risk
He’s come out of Doncaster in good form. I’ve always had the Adonis in mind for him. We’re toying with the idea of supplementing him for Cheltenham and it all hinges on this. He’s a very exciting horse, since he’s had his wind done he’s been everything and more that I thought he was going to be.

Alan King, trainer of Spartan Army
I thought he'd win at Wincanton last time and was disappointed with his second place. I may have been too easy on him in the run up to that race, so I've done a lot of work with him since as I'm determined not to make that mistake again.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Pawapuri
She's a lovely filly who we are rather throwing in the deep end, but she's schooled well and hopefully she can get some black type.
Reporting by Charlie Huggins

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