Flat stars granted Cheltenham go-ahead
The British Horseracing Authority approved Hughes’ application while the Turf Club has given O’Brien permission to compete at the Festival.
Hughes is set to partner Sgt Reckless for trainer Mick Channon, with O’Brien aboard Shield for his father, Aidan.
“Hughes was granted his jumps licence on Thursday to ride,” said BHA spokesman Robin Mounsey.
Although Hughes has been in action at Cheltenham in the past, it will be a new experience for O’Brien.
“He has been approved to ride in the bumper. He’ll have an Irish National Hunt licence for a year,” said Denis Egan, chief executive of the Turf Club.
Garrett Power is likely to be making a few calls over the weekend to find out whether Yes Sir Brian will get a run in the race.
The four-year-old made an impressive start to his career when landing a bumper at Punchestown last month, the form of which has worked out well with fourth home Shield coming out and winning at Leopardstown.
Power is keen for his charge to make the trip to Prestbury Park, but only if he is guaranteed a place in the final field.
“He’s all set for Cheltenham, but at the moment we need two horses to come out to get a run,” said Power.
“It’s a long way to travel and a waste of money if you head over there and then don’t get a run, so we could really do with finding out one way or another before the end of the weekend.
“He’s in terrific form. He went for a gallop after racing at Clonmel on Thursday, Derek O’Connor rode him and he was delighted with him.
“If we get in at Cheltenham, Derek will definitely ride him. He’s might be an amateur but he’s the champion point-to-point rider and in six rides for me he’s ridden six winners.
“I think that might be a difficult record to keep intact in a race at the Cheltenham Festival, but if you’re not in you can’t win, so we’ll see what happens.”
Grands Crus meanwhile has been ruled out of next week’s Cheltenham Festival after an unsatisfactory scope.
Although the grey reportedly worked well on Friday morning, trainer David Pipe was not totally happy with the routine test afterwards and following consultation with the owners decided to give Cheltenham a miss.
Grands Crus, who held entries in the Ryanair Chase and Ladbrokes World Hurdle, has had a difficult campaign.
He had a wind op after being pulled up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and although he finished third in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day, he was pulled up again in the Argento Chase on his latest start. He was found to be suffering from ulcers afterwards.
He did, however, please connections in a racecourse spin at Exeter earlier in the week.
“He worked this morning and worked well. We scoped him and he wasn’t 100% so I had a chat with the owners and we decided to wait for Aintree. He might not run again this season,” Pipe told At The Races.
“All options are still open but he won’t go to Cheltenham.
“He still worked the same at home as he always has done. There’s plenty more left this season and the worse scenario is he doesn’t run again this season.
“We’ll work towards Aintree and see how he goes between now and then.
“He’s basically OK but you want to be 110%.”
