Flat spin for Triumph hope Scriptwriter at Wolverhampton

Milton Harris looks to all-weather for his Cheltenham contender.

Scriptwriter will have a spin on the all-weather at Wolverhampton on Friday, with Milton Harris keen to get a run into his star juvenile before he continues his Triumph Hurdle build-up over obstacles.

Harris has seen the weather scupper his plans in the last month, with Scriptwriter having intended engagements at both Doncaster and Cheltenham wiped out by the recent cold snap and the ground going against him at Chepstow where he was declared to run in the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle.

Now the son of Churchill, who is a best-priced 20-1 for Grade One glory at the Cheltenham Festival, will keep the cogs turning in the 12-furlong Scu Selects Expert Tips By BetUK Handicap at Dunstall Park – a run which will hopefully put him spot on for a return to hurdling at Prestbury Park on January 28.

“He’s been ready to run for a while,” said Harris. “Obviously we had him entered at Cheltenham and Doncaster when we had that bad weather spell and both were abandoned.

“The problem then was finding somewhere to run and Chepstow was never really on our agenda because it is a very dour test for three-year-olds. Even though the ground was probably not as bad as it could be, it still wasn’t nice ground.

“We took the view that this horse has a lot of speed and the plan is to go to Trials Day at Cheltenham and/or the Adonis.

“But he has been ready to run for a while and I felt if we don’t run at Wolverhampton, I need to give him a good piece of work at home here on Friday, so he may as well have a run round for a bit of prize-money at Wolverhampton.

“He’ll be competitive. He’s a good horse. I’m very happy with him and I think he’s improved since last time and we just need to get a run into him. The timing works very well and we’re roughly four weeks from the Cheltenham race.”

With many of the major UK Triumph Hurdle trials falling victim to the recent freeze, the Sutton Veny handler has been a keen observer of the action in Ireland over the past few weeks.

And although impressed by Willie Mullins’ Lossiemouth, who cemented her position as favourite for the juvenile highlight at the Festival with a bloodless victory at Leopardstown, Harris sees no reason why the Scriptwriter should not be in the Triumph Hurdle conversation at this stage.

“Clearly Willie’s horse sets a high standard, but there doesn’t seem the same strength in depth at this stage of the season as maybe there was last year. That’s not to say the favourite isn’t a very good horse, but last year we had the likes of Fil Dor, Vauban and Pied Piper.

“All of these horses are ex-Flat horses and Scriptwriter is the highest rated of all of them. He is rated 102 and has every right to be in the picture.

Scriptwriter ridden by jockey Paddy Brennan (white/red silks) on their way to winning the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham
Scriptwriter ridden by jockey Paddy Brennan (white/red silks) on their way to winning the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham (David Davies/Jockey Club)

“I think he is a different type of horse to Knight Salute, who was a battle-hardened soul. Scriptwriter would have more natural class, so until we realise we’re not good enough, the Triumph Hurdle is our route.”

Harris has developed a real niche for handling juvenile hurdlers in recent years and has plenty of positive words for a trio of three-year-olds who did make the track over the Christmas period.

Highland Frolic and Postmark were both seen in action at Kempton with the former finishing a staying-on third at a big price, while at Fontwell on Boxing Day, Polyphonic recorded a taking 10-length victory.

Although yet to match the levels Scriptwriter has achieved, the Fred Winter on the opening day of the Festival could now come into the reckoning for the talented trio.

“Highland Frolic had a pretty major wind operation and I was delighted with him, bearing in mind halfway down the back he looked as if he would drop away,” continued Harris.

“I think because we’ve had his wind done, it was the first time he realised he could run through it and he’s ended up only being beaten seven lengths. There will be masses of improvement in him, he’s a nice horse.

“I shouldn’t have run Postmark, he’s a better horse than that – don’t give up on him. He just doesn’t want that ground and we took a chance. He’s a good ground horse and you’ll see him in some of the better races in the spring.

“Polyphonic is a different type. The faster they gom the better it’ll suit him and I’ve just got in the back of my mind he might just be OK for the Fred Winter when they go really quick.

“They would all be more than entitled to take their chance. I think (a rating of) 122 got in last year and they would all be in the equation at the moment.”

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