Jazz set for French bow

Jazz D’Estruval could make his seasonal debut in France next month according to his trainer Nicky Richards.

The eight-year-old looked destined for stardom last term when thrashing subsequent Royal & SunAlliance Chase winner Trabolgan by nine lengths at Haydock Park in January.

But the flashy grey, for whom soft going is essential, failed to build on that victory on his next two starts.

He unseated Tony Dobbin at the seventh fence – he was remounted to finish second – at Market Rasen in March and was far from fluent when a 19-length third to My Will at Perth the following month.

Jazz D’Estruval showed his wellbeing in a workout at Newcastle racecourse on Wednesday when he looked on good terms with himself after completing just over a circuit of the track.

“He’s done fantastically well over the summer and he might go for a little race in France (Auteuil) on November 6 – if it doesn’t come too soon for him,” said Richards, who enjoyed his best season in 2004-2005 with 50 winners.

“He rather lost his confidence towards the end of last season – I think the open ditches might have been the problem.

“We had that little mishap at Market Rasen and then we couldn’t find another race for him, then the ground went for him and by the time Perth came round he had gone over the top.”

The Greystoke handler had a number of his horses on show at Gosforth Park but one conspicuous by his absence was his Smurfit Champion Hurdle hope Faasel.

“Faasel will go to Ayr for a racecourse gallop later this month,” Richards added.

The four-year-old, winner of a Grade One event at Aintree in April, is a top-priced 20-1 chance for the hurdlers’ crown at Cheltenham next March.