You Wear It Well the latest flying the flag for red-hot Challow form

Molly Hunter
February 15, 2023 4:38 pm

Jamie Snowden mare in Grade Two action at Sandown.

You Wear It Well will hunt for a first Graded-race victory in the Weatherbys-sponsored Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown on Thursday.

The Jamie Snowden-trained six-year-old, who has good bumper form to her name, was last seen finishing second to Hermes Allen in the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury in late December.

Prior to that she was the winner of two novice hurdles in the autumn, making a successful debut over obstacles with a seven-length success at Worcester and then trouncing nine rivals to triumph by 22 lengths at Hexham.

Since Newbury her stock has risen due to the resulting form of the race, with four Challow contenders going on to the win on their next start.

Among them is Snowden’s own Passing Well, fourth in the race and a good winner at Newcastle since, and Fergal O’Brien’s subsequent Sidney Banks victor Marble Sands.

So easy! You Wear It Well makes it two from two over hurdles in some style at @HexhamRaces! @jamiesnowden @GavinSheehan92 pic.twitter.com/cphbvKe9Jd

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 16, 2022

Snowden reports his mare to be in good form ahead of her next target, a Grade Two event which will pave the way to one of a handful of Cheltenham Festival options over varying trips.

He said: “She’s in great order. She’s been pretty progressive all the way through the season, winning her two novice hurdles.

“She ran a cracker when stepped up in trip when second behind Hermes Allen in the Challow at Newbury.

“This looked the obvious step for her, going forward, and she’s in a couple of races at the Festival but we’ll cross this bridge first and see how we go.

“She’s not devoid of speed, but equally there is a lot of stamina in the pedigree so hopefully she’s one of those horses that can be equally effective over any trip.”

You Wear It Well winner of the British Stallion Studs EBF National Hunt Novices Hurdle Race @HexhamRaces . Congratulations to the winning owner Sir Chips Keswick, Trainer Jamie Snowden and Jockey Gavin Sheehan 🏆👏👏 pic.twitter.com/w8gsmHbrlx
— Hexham Racecourse (@HexhamRaces) November 16, 2022

Of the Challow form boost he added: “The race has worked out really well, we had the fourth horse, Passing Well, and he’s won since, so has the fifth-placed horse (Marble Sands). “

Elsewhere in the race there is a sole Irish entrant in Gordon Elliott’s Deeply Superficial, who will be ridden by Davy Russell.

Dan Skelton is set to saddle both She’s A Saint and Vicki Vale, with Touchy Feely, Nicky Henderson’s two-time winning hurdler, completing the field of five.