Hullnback primed for Haydock test

Rossington Main target for Fergal O’Brien hurdler.

Fergal O’Brien has the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock in mind for Hullnback after the five-year-old opened his hurdling account at the Merseyside track last month.

A high-class bumper horse last season, he scored in good fashion on his debut at Chepstow.

He wasn’t disgraced in Listed company at Newbury on his next start, before getting closest to Lookaway when second in the Grade Two bumper that concludes Aintree’s Grand National Festival.

Although only second on hurdling debut at Chepstow, that form has a strong look to it, and he built on that early timber education in his most recent outing, reversing Aintree form with Lookaway in the process of recording a three-and-three-quarter-length success.

Despite envisaging Hullnback being a stayer of the future, the Ravenswell Farm handler is keen to keep the son of Schiaparelli to two miles for the time being as he appears set to return to the north west for Grade Two action on January 21.

“I’m delighted with him,” said O’Brien. “I think his second at Chepstow was actually a really strong run race, the horse of Nigel’s (Twiston-Davies) that finished third would have won at Ascot when falling at the last.

“He’s a lovely horse and he did it well at Haydock. He’s not a two-miler and that is why we are so delighted with him. Paddy (Brennan) had to be fairly aggressive on him, but he did it very well.

“Hopefully he will go back to Haydock for the Grade Two in the middle of January. He’s not a two-miler, but he’s a bit too free to step up in trip. Another run over two miles will keep him sharp and he’s a lovely, big horse and you’d rather he was a little outpaced over two miles than doing too much over two- and-a-half at the minute, until he learns to race.

“Hopefully his future is three miles over fences, but he’s a long way off that yet. He’s very raw still, but he’s a lovely horse and very exciting. I’ve been doing it long enough now not to get too excited, but he’s one you look forward to running.”

O’Brien has also been delighted with Lilting Verse, who secured Listed honours when claiming the Henrietta Knight Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race at Huntingdon.

Lilting Verse ridden by jockey Connor Brace (left) on their way to winning the Fitzdares Adores Henrietta Knight Mares' Open National Hunt Flat Race at Huntingdon
Lilting Verse ridden by jockey Connor Brace (left) on their way to winning the Fitzdares Adores Henrietta Knight Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race at Huntingdon (Tim Goode/PA)

With black type tucked away in the back pocket, hurdles now await the five-year-old daughter of Yeats in the New Year.

O’Brien said: “The ground was probably soft enough for her (at Huntingdon) and she deserved to take her chance because she was a very good third for us first time out, not beaten very far, and the race has turned out quite well.

“She finished fourth last time and the race just didn’t work out right for her. It just didn’t happen. So we decided to just roll the dice with her and she did it very well.

“I think the second horse (Alfie’s Princess) is a lovely horse who could improve loads for her run possibly, and we really like Lilting Verse.

“She’ll crack on over hurdles now, I think. She’s got her black type and anything she was going to achieve in a bumper was a bonus, so we’ll go hurdling with her in the New Year.”

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