Cyfor Malta 12-1 to turn on the Power
The 10-year-old was cut to 10-1 from 14-1 with William Hill following yesterday’s confirmation stage, at which 26 stood their ground.
Cyfor Malta, winner in 1998 and last year, is now outright top-weight on 11st 12lb for the £110,000 handicap chase. He heads a team of four as trainer Martin Pipe bids for a fourth successive victory in the race and a seventh in all.
The trainer left in ante-post favourite It Takes Time, Horus and Tarxien as well as the top-weight and withdrew Seebald, Wahiba Sands and Montreal.
Henry Daly warned would-be backers of Young Spartacus and Hand Inn Hand that both horses will miss Saturday’s feature unless it rains.
Following another dry day at Prestbury Park, the ground is still riding on the fast side of good, and the course is being watered. A spokesman at Daly’s Shropshire stables said: “It all depends on the weather, but if it doesn’t rain, I doubt whether either of our horses will run.”
Henrietta Knight is another trainer hoping for rain for one of her two entries, Foly Pleasant.
The Wantage trainer said: “Midland Flame is a definite runner but Foly Pleasant must have a little cut in the ground and I won’t risk him if it stays the way it is. At the moment, Jim Culloty will be riding Midland Flame.”
Foly Pleasant was second to the Pipe-trained Shooting Light two years ago and fourth last year.
Poliantas and Wave Rock, who were second and third respectively to Cyfor Malta 12 months ago, could reoppose.
Poliantas’s trainer Paul Nicholls can also call on the former Pipe-trained duo of Royal Auclair and Exit Swinger to strengthen his party.
Ferdy Murphy is keen to run Ballinclay King.
“I’ve confirmed him and we want to run, but I just hope they get a bit of rain down there. He is in great form and did a super piece of work at Carlisle the other day,” said the Middleham trainer.
“He’s never run a bad race at Cheltenham. He could spend the whole year down there, he loves the place.”
There are two possible Irish-trained runners in Christy Roche’s Risk Accessor and Beachcomber Bay from Noel Meade’s stable.
Meanwhile Ferdy Murphy is keeping his fingers crossed for some cut in the ground at Haydock, where he plans to run stable star Truckers Tavern in the three-mile Edward Hanmer Memorial Chase.
Truckers Tavern is among 22 entries for the £50,000-added handicap at the Merseyside track on Sunday.
The West Witton trainer had hoped to run last season’s Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up in the James Nicholson Champion Chase at Down Royal last Saturday, but took him out because of fast ground.
Said Murphy: “The ground was rock-hard and there was no way I was going to risk him. I am keen to get a run into him because he is really well and bouncing, and if the ground is good to soft over at Haydock that is where we will go.
“We desperately need the ground for him. The forecast is for heavy rain in the Haydock area and I hope they get it. They could do with an inch.”
