Jump jockeys set to scorch turf in burn-up on Knavesmire

4.50 York
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A Nunthorpe like no other takes place at York on Saturday with jump jockeys taking a rather different test of their skills in the saddle over five furlongs on the Knavesmire.

There is some Flat racing pedigree, albeit from yesteryear, among the 18 riders with Tom Scudamore and Joshua Moore, two former Bollinger Series amateur champions, lining up in the inaugural running of the £20,000 sprint handicap, in which Sam Twiston-Davies, Jamie Moore, Nico de Boinville and Aidan Coleman also have mounts.

Despite no racing over jumps on Saturday, it is back to relative normality for most of the riders at Uttoxeter on Sunday, but they are looking forward to this rush of adrenaline, no-one more so than Scudamore, who beat a certain Ryan Moore when lifting the amateur crown in 2001.

Scudamore, who rides the Paul Midgley-trained Tylery Wonder, said: “Sam, Aidan and myself have been winding each other up about this race for the last few weeks and we’re all really looking forward to it.

“I expect we’ll go flat out but I don’t care how it pans out as long as I pass the post in front. It will be as competitive as ever – I’m not sure the track at York is quite ready for me to go burning down it.”

Paddy Brennan, who enjoyed a winner over the minimum distance at Navan when with Jim Bolger, hopes he can take advantage of an experience edge.

Brennan said: “It’s a long, long time since then but at least I've experienced it. This is definitely new to most of the lads – they wouldn’t have experienced anything like this ever.

“Henley has won his last two and any rain probably won’t do him any harm. It’s five furlongs and we’ll jump out and go as fast as we can.”

A mile and a half is the shortest distance over which Will Kennedy has ridden, until Saturday at least, when he partners Richard Fahey's Paddy Power.

Kennedy said: “It should be a bit of fun, but credit must go to York as there’s some great prize-money on offer and it’s certainly one worth winning.

“Paddy Power wears a hood in the stalls, which will be a new experience for me, so I hope to at least pull that off at the right time.”