Next Sensation out to atone for festival disappointment
The nine-year-old tried the extended two and a half miles at Prestbury Park in November but did not get home in the softer ground.
Next Sensation also has to bounce back from being well beaten in his bid to repeat last year’s victory in the Grand Annual Chase at the Festival.
However, Scudamore reports the horse in fine shape and is expecting a better performance.
“Obviously he disappointed a bit at the Festival, but we’re hoping the step up to two and a half on better ground than when he tried it earlier in the season will help him and hopefully that will be a big plus for him,” said the Ross-on-Wye trainer.
“It was on pretty soft horrible ground when he ran over the trip before, so hopefully on better ground this should be the trip he wants nowadays and hopefully that will help him.
“He’s going well at home so we’re hopefully he can run well.”
Harry Fry has been waiting for better ground for Voix D’Eau, who had good form in the first half of the campaign.
The six-year-old won two of his five starts and was placed in the other three.
“He had a break over the winter. We didn’t want to run her on the bad ground we have at that time,” said the Seaborough handler.
“The plan was to give him a break on the worst of the winter ground and have him ready for this time of year on the drying ground.
“He’s at the right end of the weights. Michael (Legg) takes a handy 5lb off as well and knows him well having won on him at Doncaster.
“He’s a novice in a valuable race. Hopefully, he’s a bit on the unexposed side and he’ll have a good chance.”
Top weight Wishfull Thinking has to give at least 13lb to all his rivals but his rider Richard Johnson feels the 13-year-old, trained by Philip Hobbs, has every chance.
“It would be great to end the season on a high with him,” the champion jumps jockey-elect said on his Betway blog. “He seems in good form at home and Philip’s had this race in mind for a while.”
Hobbs also runs Cloud Creeper, while an eight-strong field is completed by Tenor Nivernais, Johns Spirit, Art Mauresque and Splash Of Ginge.
