Hobbs believes Qaspal will need luck - just to get a run
The JP McManus-owned gelding picked up a 5lb penalty for winning the big handicap hurdle at Sandown on Saturday but he is still a long way off being guaranteed a run at the Festival.
The six-year-old holds entries in two races on Friday – the Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle and the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
It is particularly frustrating for connections as Qaspal’s success at Sandown puts him in line for Paddy Power’s £75,000 bonus should he go on to win a race at the Cheltenham festival.
“He’s very good today, absolutely fine, but he’ll be lucky to get a run at Cheltenham by the look of it,” said the Minehead handler.
“We’ll just have to play it by ear and see what happens during the week.
“It was amazing for AP (McCoy) to get down to that weight (10st 3lb).”
Hobbs also saddled runner-up Oldrik in the Imperial Cup and he holds the same two entries as Qaspal.
“He’ll run there as well if he gets in but he’s got the same problem,” the trainer added.
* Robin Dickin is looking forward to running Restless Harry in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle on Friday.
Restless Harry is prominent in the betting for three-mile contest at around 7-1 having won in good style over the course in January.
“We’re nearly there and everything is going very smoothly,” the Stratford trainer told At The Races.
“I feel fairly assured if we don’t have any rain the course are going to water and that the ground will be on the easy side of good.
“He has won on good and certainly working on turf at home he seem to really enjoy it and stretch.
“I don’t think the ground will affect him.
“We’ve done everything we can to mirror image his run at Cheltenham on January 30 and mirror image the build-up as we felt he was superb on the day.
“We are more or less doing exactly the same exercise, the same feed and all the build-up for Friday as we did to that day.
“I’m very excited. I have every reason to believe he will run a very big race. Having won a qualifier in that manner, what else could you run him in or go for?
“There’s a lot of horses in the race with unbeaten records like David Pipe’s (Chartreux) and the horses from Ireland.
“There are a lot of unknowns in the race whereas my fellow is fairly exposed, but he was just beaten at Newbury in the Challow when I hadn’t particularly trained him for the race and then winning in magnificent style at Cheltenham when he was specifically prepared for the race.
“I’m hoping he can put up a very good show against all of them but it is the racehorse Olympics and I’m not going there being bullish.
“But I can assure anyone who wants a little bet on him that he will go there in magnificent order.”
* Weird Al, one of the leading fancies for Wednesday’s RSA Chase, will miss the race after suffering a leg injury.
The seven-year-old suffered a suspected fracture of his off-fore cannon bone at trainer Ian Williams’ Alvechurch gallops.
Already a winner at Cheltenham twice this season, he was last seen claiming the Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby under substitute jockey Paddy Brennan as his usual partner Noel Fehily had already been ruled out of the Festival through injury himself.
Williams said: “He has a potential stress fracture of his cannonbone and he will have an MRI scan next week which should confirm the injury.
“I have never been so devastated about a horse before and I’m mortified for the owners. This wasn’t any race meeting, it was Cheltenham.
“He was to have gone there for the RSA in an exceptional year with an excellent chance in my book.
“We still have him and thankfully the prognosis from our team of vets is very good.”
Weird Al was third favourite at a general 7-1 for the staying novices’ championship.
* Edward O’Grady’s Alaivan heads up 29 possibles for Friday’s JCB Triumph Hurdle.
Formerly a classy racer on the level for John Oxx, Alaivan has won two of his three starts since going over hurdles.
His only defeat came at the hands of Gordon Elliott’s Carlito Brigante, who is set to take him on again.
Paul Nicholls’ is due to run the unbeaten Advisor, while Nicky Henderson’s exciting prospect Soldatino is set to line-up for the Seven Barrows team.
Willie Mullins’ Secant Star and Charles Byrnes’ Pittoni add strength in depth to the Irish challenge, a race they traditionally struggle in.
Tom George’s Olofi and Charlie Egerton’s Westlin’ Winds are others holding claims.
Interestingly Nick Williams has left in Me Voici, despite regularly stating he has reservations about running him in the juvenile championship.
Those still engaged that could also run Fred Winter include David Pipe’s Notus De La Tour, Brian Ellison’s Bothy and Alan King’s Gilded Age.
