Cheltenham plan for Killy

Howard Johnson added another string to his powerful Cheltenham Festival bow as Killyglen took the victorchandler.com Robert Burns 250th Anniversary Novices’ Chase at Ayr.

The seven-year-old was previously trained in Larne, Northern Ireland, by Roy Wilson, for whom he won three times, his first success coming his way in a bumper at this course in November 2007 and he then he scored at Downpatrick before making it three at Carlisle.

He was partnered by Richard McGrath at Ayr and Carlisle, and owner David McCammon said: “Richard told us that we would win a couple over hurdles and a couple over fences with him and he would then go on and win us a big one – the plan is to go for the RSA Chase at Cheltenham.”

Donald McCain has his team in good heart and he completed a double with Comhla Ri Coig (15-8) and Cromwell Court (11-8 favourite), his only two runners at the meeting and both partnered by stable jockey Jason Maguire.

The first-named proved a comfortable seven lengths too good for the Johnson-trained Teenage Idol in the Victor Chandler 08000 787 878 “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle, and Dave Ellis, who owns him in partnership with Dave Barrow, said: “He did it better than he did when he won at Haydock, he needs heavy ground.

“We do not have anything planned for him, we will see how it goes, but we need to get him up the ratings a bit.”

Cromwell Court had found just one too good for him on his two earlier outings this term, but he came out best in the Victor Chandler Financials Homecoming 2009 Novices’ Chase and Maguire said: “He came under a bit of pressure turning into the straight, but he is so tough and he kept going better than the second.”

McGrath was on the score sheet himself when Morgan Be, trained by his mother-in-law Kate Walton, gained his fifth course success in the victorchandler.com Tam O’Shanter Handicap Chase.

In fact the 9-4 favourite has not won anywhere else and Walton said: “We had thought about the Eider Chase (at Newcastle on February 21) for him, but it might come a bit soon.

“I would not rule it out completely and it will be a target in the future and so would the Scottish National if we got some heavy ground.”

The Alistair Whillans-trained Sammy Spiderman, a winner at the course last month, returned to double up with a game success as 15-8 favourite under Brian Harding in the Victor Chandler Financials Handicap Chase.

Whillans is on holiday, but Harding said: “Sammy Spiderman travelled well and jumped great, but he does not kill himself once he hits the front.”

Kempski, another course specialist, won the concluding Victor Chandler 08000 787 878 Handicap Hurdle under conditional Paul Callaghan.