Johnson to ride Planet Of Sound in Hennessy

PHILIP HOBBS plans to run all of his three possibles in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday.

The Minehead trainer reports Planet Of Sound, Fair Along and Balthazar King are on course for the prestigious staying handicap chase which he won with What’s Up Boys in 2001.

Hobbs revealed his stable jockey Richard Johnson will get the leg-up on Planet Of Sound, who has not raced since finishing fifth to Long Run in the rescheduled King George VI Chase at Kempton in January.

Riding plans for the other two horses have yet to be finalised.

“All three will run, I think. They are all fine, in good form,” said Hobbs.

“Richard will ride Planet of Sound, the other two we’re not sure about yet.”

Hobbs, meanwhile, is hoping Wishfull Thinking can set the record straight in the Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday week.

Hobbs has never won the tingle Creek and Wishfull Thinking is on something of a redemption mission having to settle for sixth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham having gone off favourite.

Hobbs is now keen to drop the horse back down in trip. He said: “Wishfull Thinking is very likely to run in the Tingle Creek and he has come out of the race at Cheltenham fine.”

Paul Nicholls, meanwhile, is likely to rely upon Tataniano in his bid to earn a seventh successive victory in the Tingle Creek. The champion trainer has made the Grade One two-mile contest his own thanks to Kauto Star, Twist Magic and Master Minded, who are all dual winners.

The Ditcheat handler is now looking to the Andy Stewart-owned Tataniano continuing the sequence.

“Tataniano won well at Chepstow on his debut this season and this race has always been the plan for him,” said Nicholls. “Ideally we would hope that the ground wouldn’t be too soft.”

Meanwhile Connections of Diamond Harry are hoping last year’s Hennessy winner will be suited by going right-handed for the first time in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The eight-year-old, owned by the Paul Duffy Diamond Partnership, will face a tough task coming up against four-times King George hero Kauto Star and last year’s victor Long Run in the Christmas feature.

Duffy said: “Our intention is to go for the King George,” he said.

“I think Kempton will suit him.’’