Lookaway set to play leading role in Cheltenham feature

Ashley Iveson
October 26, 2023 2:19 pm

Home of National Hunt racing back in action this weekend.

Neil King is excited to see his stable star Lookaway make his return to action in the feature event on the opening day of the season at Cheltenham.

Bought for GBP 170,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point a couple of years ago, the six-year-old gave his new connections an immediate return on their significant investment by winning on his debut under rules at Newbury, before plundering the Grade Two bumper at Aintree’s Grand National meeting.

He made an inauspicious start to his career over hurdles last term, suffering defeat on his first three attempts, but came good in the spring with successive wins at Uttoxeter in May.

Lookaway returns to Grade Two level for Friday’s Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle and King is hoping he can pick up where he left off.

He said: “He seems in good shape, ready for action and we’re looking forward to getting him out.

“As everyone is aware we were badly out of form all winter last season and it just took a bit of time to get over things, but once we hit form he came right as well and showed what he’s all about.

“He’s all good, he’s done his work and is ready to make a start.”

Kamsinas looks a major contender for Fergal O’Brien, with the Kelso bumper winner having made an impressive debut over hurdles at Worcester a fortnight ago.

“I’m looking forward to running him and unlike most of our other runners the more rain they get the better for him,” said O’Brien.

“He’s been great since Worcester. It’s not what we’d normally do – we’d normally give them another run over hurdles before stepping into this grade – but he’s run in point-to-points, so we just said we’d roll the dice and fingers crossed he’ll come up trumps for us.”

John McConnell’s Fennor Cross took the prize back to Ireland 12 months ago and this season the raiding party is represented by the Peter Fahey-trained Toto Too.

Second on his introduction in a bumper at the Galway Festival during the summer, he went one better at Killarney next time and fairly bolted up on his hurdling bow at Navan on his most recent outing.

Fahey said: “It’s a very competitive race, with a lot of horses stepping up into that grade.

“Our horse has travelled over well and seems in good form. It’s a big ask going out for a Grade Two on his second run over hurdles, but we’re keen to get him out again on a bit of nice ground and we’re hoping he puts up a good run.”

Olly Murphy’s 14-length Bangor winner Act Of Authority and Dan Skelton’s 12-length Uttoxeter scorer Williethebuilder also feature in an intriguing contest.

Gavin Cromwell saddles two significant runners on the undercard in My Mate Mozzie and Encanto Bruno.

My Mate Mozzie, a winner at Grade Three level over hurdles and beaten just a length in the Galway Hurdle in August, is a hot favourite squareintheair.com Novices’ Chase, despite being beaten at cramped odds on his on his debut over fences at Fairyhouse three weeks ago.

“We were bit disappointed after Fairyhouse, I suppose the ground was a bit too soft for him and he didn’t stay,” said Cromwell.

“The ground looks like it’s going to be a bit better in Cheltenham and it looks a nice opportunity, so hopefully he can win.

“I know he has to stay up the hill, but the race is actually just shy of two miles.

“We’re clutching at straws with the tongue tie as he’s just not finishing out his races completely.”

Encanto Bruno won a bumper at this meeting last year for the aforementioned McConnell and went on to contest the Champion Bumper at the Festival in March.

He won as he liked on his hurdling debut at Bellewstown in July, but was pulled up at Galway next time and makes his first start for his new trainer in the Trustatrader Novices’ Hurdle.

Cromwell added: “We’re happy with him, he’s stepping up to two and a half which I don’t think will be a problem and nice ground will suit him.

“He’s working well at home and we’re hoping for a nice run, but whatever he does on Friday he’ll improve from it.”