Snowden considering Paddy Power bid for Kiltealy Briggs

Simon Milham
November 2, 2022 11:38 am

Eight-year-old got back on track first time out this season.

Jamie Snowden is considering running Kiltealy Briggs in the Paddy Power Gold Cup after winning a valuable handicap at Market Rasen.

Few trainers are in better form than the Lambourn handler at present, with Snowden operating at around a 30 per cent strike-rate for the past two months.

Yet Snowden is keen to pick his moments with Kiltealy Briggs, who finished third in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase last season to Bravemansgame.

“He is very well,” said Snowden. “He is in the Grand Sefton (at Aintree), but I think we will probably bide ourselves some patience.

👊 Fine finish to the opener at @MusselburghRace
Kiltealy Briggs is all heart to deny Pay The Piper for @jamiesnowden & @adrianheskin in the Frodon Novices’ Chase pic.twitter.com/LmqTFlIzeL

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 5, 2022

“He is in the Paddy Power as well – we have just entered him in that valuable race and we will have a think about that over the next week or two.”

Ga Law, who stayed on well to finish third to Riders Onthe Storm in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree last week, could also join his stablemate in the two and a half-mile Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday week.

Successful in the Grade Two ‘Rising Stars’ Novices’ Chase at Wincanton in 2020, Ga Law will bid to take his career tally to four victories over fences when he next appears having missed the whole of last season.

Snowden said: “He has come out of the Old Roan very well and he is in the Paddy Power. Whether we go there, we are going to have a discussion next week to see where we go.”

Soldier Of Destiny was fifth in the same race at Aintree, having won twice as a novice for the yard last term.

However, Snowden is mulling over options, with a drop in trip on the cards for the six-year-old.

He added: “I think we will drop him back to two miles next time out for a race at Wetherby.”

Meanwhile Git Maker, who had several entries this week, will not tackle last season’s Stayers’ Hurdle runner-up Thyne Hill at Exeter on Friday and heads to Newbury instead.

Snowden said: “He is a nice horse and looks promising. He is declared for Newbury on Thursday.

“We are in Lambourn, just down the road from Newbury, and we have had lots of rain here. I do hope they get more rain there as we wouldn’t run him on fast ground.”