Ground set to rule D'Estruval out of festival

Nicky Richards has all but ruled out sending his promising Jazz D’Estruval for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival next month.

A soft-ground specialist, the eight-year-old has sluiced home on his two chase starts to date, winning impressively at both Ayr and Haydock, claiming the scalps of both Tribal Venture and Trabolgan in the process.

Richards had hoped to run him at Newcastle this Saturday but Gosforth Park’s meeting has been claimed by the prevailing arctic conditions, leaving the Greystoke handler scouring the programme book.

“He’s in grand fettle but where he goes depends on the weather,” said Richards.

“It is very doubtful that he will go to Cheltenham but only because of the ground. There are three races – one at Market Rasen, one at Liverpool and one at Perth and they are the only ones for him this season.

“Hopefully he will make one of those if the ground is right so we will just have to wait with him.”

Another star from Richard’s stable, Turpin Green, is likely to have one more start before heading to the Aintree Festival in April.

Owned by Trevor Hemmings, the six-year-old bolted up in his first two starts over timber but has been overturned on his last two outings, finishing third at Haydock on both occasions.

“He ran all right last Saturday but will make a lovely chaser,” said Richards.

“Some good judges said that he didn’t jump too well last weekend but there wasn’t a problem with his jumping and Richard McGrath said that he jumped grand. He was the first one to try and get the leader back and I am not saying that as an excuse, but he brought the winner (Mephisto) through with him.

“I might try and get another run into him up north some where under a double penalty and then he’ll go to Liverpool, but I hope that he will make a smashing chaser.”