Longsdon sets out Sidney Banks assignment for Rare Edition

Huntingdon heat next on the agenda.

Charlie Longsdon’s unbeaten hurdler Rare Edition will head next for the Urban Logistics Reit Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon.

The six-year-old was placed behind good horses in two point-to-points in Ireland, with Saint Davy and Kalanisi Star finishing ahead of him before going on to impress in their own early careers.

In a sole bumper start Rare Edition was a two-length winner, after which he transitioned to hurdling and has won three consecutive novices by a combined 27 and a half lengths.

A step up in grade and trip for the Listed Sidney Banks now awaits on February 9, with the gelding then holding entries for both the Supreme and Ballymore Novices’ Hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival.

“The plan is the Huntingdon race, the Sidney Banks, then we will have to go from there,” Longsdon said.

“He seems very well in himself, he jumped on Monday and worked on Tuesday morning. The plan will be to go there and take it from that race onward.”

Longsdon also provided an update on Tea For Free and Lilly Pinchin after their heavy fall at Doncaster in the Sky Bet Chase.

The combination started as 3-1 joint-favourites for the big handicap and were in contention up the home straight, but a fall at the second-last saw them crash out of the race and looked nasty for both horse and rider.

Pinchin sustained a broken collarbone as a result and faces several weeks on the sidelines, whereas Tea For Free will sit out the remainder of the season as he is given time to recover from the affects of the fall.

“Tea For Free is fine, he’s on box rest for a while as he ruptured some ligaments in a hind leg, but that should be fine for next season,” Longsdon said.

Tea For Free suffered a fall at Doncaster
Tea For Free suffered a fall at Doncaster (Nigel French/PA)

“I did think he was a goner but thankfully he’s OK, which is the main thing, and should be back next season.

“Lilly has done her collarbone, she tells me two weeks but I think it could be longer than that. She’s very tough!”

Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.

Latest