Scriptwriter puts down Triumph Hurdle marker at Cheltenham

Ex Aidan O’Brien-trained gelding shines on first start for Milton Harris.

Milton Harris took the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle for the second year in succession as Scriptwriter produced a foot-perfect performance under the Cheltenham spotlight.

Rated 102 on the Flat for Aidan O’Brien, he backed up his eyecatching win on his hurdling bow at Sedgefield with an authoritative victory in the extended two-mile heat, replicating the yard’s success with Knight Salute last year.

Paddy Brennan sat fifth in the early stages aboard the 4-1 shot and crept closer at the top of the hill as the well-supported Blueking d’Oroux faded quickly and was pulled up before the second-last.

Having made stealthy progress down the hill, he finally hit the front jumping the last and had two and a quarter lengths to spare from Perseus Way at the line.

Harris said comparisons between subsequent Grade One scorer Knight Salute and the Mark and Maria Adams-owned Scriptwriter are easy to make.

“They are different, aren’t they?” he said: “Knight Salute was a bonny little horse, rated 75 on the Flat. This horse is rated 102 and probably had a tough time.

“He went to Sedgefield like the other fella because we wanted him to win a race and believe in himself. He just does enough.

“It is emotional because the owner has been loyal. He is a good horse and we have a few others who are similar, so hopefully we might be OK this season with the juveniles.

“Nobody wants to buy off Aidan because he is a good trainer and everyone tells you you can’t do this and you can’t do that, so it gives you pleasure when you are doing something you shouldn’t be doing.

“This horse is talented. He’d have had a tough time as a young horse – he was a Group Three horse and worked with Group horses. It is good to see him win – I’m so pleased for the horse.

“He’s easy. I’d love to say he is difficult (to train), but he and Knight Salute aren’t difficult. Neither of them are difficult. We work them, we turn them out, we make them have a happy life – it is a different environment.

“This horse is lazy and does as little as he can do, Knight Salute wants to run all the time. They are very different. You’d be disappointed if he couldn’t go further as he is 102-rated Flat horse. He is bred to be a good horse.

Scriptwriter (second right) om his way to victory
Scriptwriter (second right) om his way to victory (David Davies/Jockey Club)

“Paddy was confident. When I saddled him, he said this horse is a bouncing ball. I said can you win, and he was adamant he could.”

Mark Adams, one of the co-owners of the Four Candles partnership who own Knight Salute, added: “It’s fantastic, amazing. He’s not a bad trainer – a juvenile king!

“It is a thrill to come back and do it again. Both were bought at the same sale as well. He was obviously a fair bit more expensive than Knight Salute was. It is just fantastic to be here.

“We both felt if he could jump a hurdle, he would take some beating and that has proved to be the case so far, so fingers crossed. He looks like he’ll stay further next year, but we will dream about this year first.”

Betfair gave Scriptwriter a 33-1 quote for the Triumph Hurdle back at Cheltenham in March.

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