Carberry given Abragante option

Paul Carberry is set to take the reins aboard Abragante in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on December 1.

With regular partner Timmy Murphy unavailable for the big race as he serves a 27-day suspension, owner David Johnson has provisionally booked Carberry for his well-fancied six-year-old.

Johnson said: “I have asked Paul Carberry to ride the horse as his quiet, patient style is very similar to Timmy’s and I am delighted he has accepted, as long as his commitments in Ireland allow.

“The way things are going with bans and injuries, who knows which jockeys will be available come the day?

“That is the reasoning behind me booking Paul at this point,” he told the Racing Post.

Abragante ran out an impressive winner of the Badger Ales Trophy last time, but failed to make the cut for Cheltenham’s Paddy Power Gold Cup, won by L’Antartique on Saturday.