Scudamore confident Roque can rise to Classic challenge

Horse Racing

Novice goes for gold in Warwick highlight.

Improving young stayer Gericault Roque takes on 14 rivals in a competitive renewal of the Agetur UK Ltd Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick, with jockey Tom Scudamore confident he holds “a good chance”.

The David Pipe-trained six-year-old has been placed in all three starts over fences, including when a length and a quarter behind Saint Palais at Newbury last month, with the pair 11 lengths clear of the rest.

Scudamore is hopeful he can break his duck over fences at the fourth attempt in the Grade Three contest, run over three miles and five furlongs.

“It was a tremendous run last time and he is a young, improving stayer and he looks an exciting horse for the future,” said Scudamore.

“He was beaten by a good horse at Newbury and they are both good, improving young horses who pulled a long way clear.

“Obviously the handicapper has had his say – he has put up us 6lb, and the winner went up 10lb.

“The form of his last two runs have worked out very well and you’d like to think he would have a good chance. He is a horse we have always liked.

“It is a competitive race, but these big handicaps are, and this is the level we think he is at.”

The race could be something of a family affair, as his eight-time champion jump jockey father Peter Scudamore assists partner Lucinda Russell, who saddles Corach Rambler.

The eight-year-old is still a novice and had the option of running in the Hampton Novices’ Chase earlier on the card.

However, rather than opting for the three-mile event, he bids for a hat-trick over this further distance, having followed up victory at Aintree with another at Cheltenham over an extended three miles and one furlong last month.

Scudamore said: “The Hampton looked a very difficult task for him and I couldn’t see him beating Paul Nicholls’ horse (Threeunderthrufive).

“I think Corach Rambler will need to improve on anything he has shown to win, but there is hope, stepping up in trip.

“His dam’s sister won over three miles. There is hope, rather than great confidence.

“He was a six-year-old point-to-pointer when we bought him to win a race at Hexham – and he has won at Aintree and Cheltenham, so I’m delighted with him. He has been a wonderful horse for The Ramblers syndicate.

“He is a novice but he is an eight-year-old and he is strong enough to do this. He seems in great form.

“We are looking for a big run, but I often think it is harder for the top weights in these long-distance races. He well deserves his chance and it is a GBP 100,000 race, so I hope he does a One For Arthur!”

Notachance and Tom Cannon on their way to winning the Classic Chase last year
Notachance and Tom Cannon on their way to winning the Classic Chase last year (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

The Alan King-trained Notachance won this race last year under Tom Cannon and runs off the same mark sporting a first-time visor, having been pulled up in three of his four subsequent starts.

Cannon said: “He was good in the race last year as he entered it on the crest of a wave. He had won his previous race at Bangor and things were going his way.

“He was an up-and-coming horse. He won the Classic Chase, then after that he pulled up slightly lame at Haydock next time out.

“He just lost his confidence a bit and when he went for the Scottish National he had not had the best preparation going into it, so you can draw a line through the end of last season with him.

“He went to Newcastle first time out this season and was probably always going to need the run, but he showed a bit more at Haydock last time.

“This has been the plan since the start of the season. It was nice that he showed that bit more at Haydock the last day and hopefully he is coming to the boil nicely.”

Evan Williams is hoping the ground will be suitable for No Rematch, who signed off last season with an impressive win in heavy ground at Chepstow, but pulled up on his seasonal return at Exeter after 10 months off.

“I think he needed the run,” said Williams. “A lot of ours have missed the autumn because it was too dry. Tomorrow might be dry enough for us and I will have a look at the track, because this is a horse who wants proper soft ground.

“I like the horse, but I would say he is a proper winter ground horse.”

There are four last-time winners in the line-up and they include 11-year-old Head To The Stars who landed a three-mile handicap at Ludlow last month, following his fair third over the same trip at Warwick.

Trainer Henry Daly said: “He produced a nice run last time. Three-miles-five is fine for him. He seems in good order. He does have the ability to throw a shocker in for whatever reason, but that is just him.

“At Perth, back in April, he had a very legitimate excuse. He managed to put his front feet in the open ditch, which most people didn’t see and he was pulled up, quite reasonably, but he ran well at Warwick in November and won well at Ludlow. He is in good order.”

In a deep renewal, big yards are also represented by Padleyourowncanoe (Dan Skelton), Achille (Venetia Williams), Eclair Surf (Emma Lavelle), Grace A Vous Enki (Paul Nicholls), Jerrysback (Philip Hobbs) and The Hollow Ginge (Nigel Twiston-Davies).

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