McLernon gets nod for Holywell ride

Richie McLernon has guided Holywell to Cheltenham Festival glory for the last two seasons and trainer Jonjo O’Neill is banking on the combination coming good once more in the Gold Cup.

The application of first-time blinkers helped the eight-year-old spring a 25-1 surprise in the 2013 Pertemps Final under McLernon, who was also on board when the partnership struck gold in handicap company over fences 12 months later.

Having finished third behind subsequent Hennessy hero Many Clouds on his seasonal return at Carlisle, Holywell unseated McLernon at Aintree in December.