Weird Al
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WEIRD AL FACES CARLISLE TRIAL
By Richard Dunwoody
King George VI Chase- Antepost: Weird Al 25/1
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With the greatest respect to Carlisle, it is not an outpost that first springs to mind when you think of those courses that provide top-quality Jump racing.
Yet there could be a clash to savour later this month, when Weird Al and The Hollinwell, potentially two of the most exciting jumpers to follow this season, are set to clash in a chase at the northern track.
Weird Al was among the favourites for last season's RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival but he failed to line up after suffering a small fracture in his off-fore cannon bone.
He had previously won three novice chases, including a Grade 2 at Wetherby in February.
Trainer Ian Williams said: "He's in full work now and the prognosis has been good. There is a chase at Carlisle at the end of the month and he's ready for that. Noel Fehily schooled him over nine fences last week and said he was delighted with him."
As for future plans, Alvechurch trainer Williams said: "It will be race-to-race with him. I think we'll look at the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury after Carlisle. That will give us an indication of exactly what we do from there.
"Last season he was very unfortunate not to make it to Cheltenham but he's better now and hopefully we can kick on with him."
Ferdy Murphy is set to take on Weird Al with The Hollinwell, who is among those in his powerful string that are really starting to excite him.
He will be aimed at the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival next March, according to the West Witton trainer.
"The Hollinwell has done tremendously well, he's made unbelievable improvement," said Murphy. "We'll start him off in a two and a half-mile intermediate chase at Carlisle at the end of the month and if Ian Williams' good novice Weird Al turns up, it will be a hell of a race if he takes us on."
Williams playfully quipped: "It's Ferdy who is taking us on - not the other way round!"
It is a big weekend ahead for Williams, who is set to run Wayward Prince over fences for the first time at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Winner of the Grade 1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree last term, the six-year-old will line up in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars' Novices' Chase over three miles and half a furlong.
Williams said: "He's going to Cheltenham on Saturday. He finished up with a rating of 150 when he was an embryonic chaser who was running over hurdles.
"I can't wait to see what he'll do over fences. We have big aspirations for him."
Williams, who has 56 horses in his care at Dominion Stables, will also saddle two in the totesport.com Cesarewitch, at Newmarket.
Swinging Hawk, who is owned by soon-to-be World No.1 golfer Lee Westwood, is a 33-1 shot - and it has a good each-way chance - while Cotillion, who won a Haydock handicap in July and was a fine second over 1m 6f at Yarmouth last month, is a 25-1 shot.
Williams said: "Cotillion's in great form. He would want good ground or softer, but he will be suited by Newmarket and by stepping up in trip."
Regardless of what happens at Newmarket, The Hollinwell's clash with Weird Al looks as though it will be a cracking race - one of many we're set to savour as the Jumps season gets into full swing.
WEIRD AL FACES CARLISLE TRIAL
By Richard Dunwoody
King George VI Chase- Antepost: Weird Al 25/1
Click here to follow us on Twitter!
Click here for more racing news
With the greatest respect to Carlisle, it is not an outpost that first springs to mind when you think of those courses that provide top-quality Jump racing.
Yet there could be a clash to savour later this month, when Weird Al and The Hollinwell, potentially two of the most exciting jumpers to follow this season, are set to clash in a chase at the northern track.
Weird Al was among the favourites for last season's RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival but he failed to line up after suffering a small fracture in his off-fore cannon bone.
He had previously won three novice chases, including a Grade 2 at Wetherby in February.
Trainer Ian Williams said: "He's in full work now and the prognosis has been good. There is a chase at Carlisle at the end of the month and he's ready for that. Noel Fehily schooled him over nine fences last week and said he was delighted with him."
As for future plans, Alvechurch trainer Williams said: "It will be race-to-race with him. I think we'll look at the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury after Carlisle. That will give us an indication of exactly what we do from there.
"Last season he was very unfortunate not to make it to Cheltenham but he's better now and hopefully we can kick on with him."
Ferdy Murphy is set to take on Weird Al with The Hollinwell, who is among those in his powerful string that are really starting to excite him.
He will be aimed at the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival next March, according to the West Witton trainer.
"The Hollinwell has done tremendously well, he's made unbelievable improvement," said Murphy. "We'll start him off in a two and a half-mile intermediate chase at Carlisle at the end of the month and if Ian Williams' good novice Weird Al turns up, it will be a hell of a race if he takes us on."
Williams playfully quipped: "It's Ferdy who is taking us on - not the other way round!"
It is a big weekend ahead for Williams, who is set to run Wayward Prince over fences for the first time at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Winner of the Grade 1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree last term, the six-year-old will line up in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars' Novices' Chase over three miles and half a furlong.
Williams said: "He's going to Cheltenham on Saturday. He finished up with a rating of 150 when he was an embryonic chaser who was running over hurdles.
"I can't wait to see what he'll do over fences. We have big aspirations for him."
Williams, who has 56 horses in his care at Dominion Stables, will also saddle two in the totesport.com Cesarewitch, at Newmarket.
Swinging Hawk, who is owned by soon-to-be World No.1 golfer Lee Westwood, is a 33-1 shot - and it has a good each-way chance - while Cotillion, who won a Haydock handicap in July and was a fine second over 1m 6f at Yarmouth last month, is a 25-1 shot.
Williams said: "Cotillion's in great form. He would want good ground or softer, but he will be suited by Newmarket and by stepping up in trip."
Regardless of what happens at Newmarket, The Hollinwell's clash with Weird Al looks as though it will be a cracking race - one of many we're set to savour as the Jumps season gets into full swing.