Cheltenham Festival: Lucinda Russell eager to see ‘champion’ Ahoy Senor take chance in Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase | Racing News
Trainer Lucinda Russell is excited to unleash Ahoy Senor onto the big stage at the Cheltenham Festival, where she hopes he will prove himself as a true “champion”.
The seven-year-old started the season as one of the brightest prospects in the novice chase division after landing the Grade One Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree last year at odds of 66/1.
After a rocky start to life over fences when he unseated at Carlisle, Ahoy Senor bounced back with a mightily impressive victory at Newbury, earning a shot at the Grade One Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
He was firmly put in his place by Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame on that occasion, but Russell remains hopeful as the pair prepare to face-off once more in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase next week.
“Trainers always try to make excuses when their horses get beaten and my excuses would be the sharp track and he probably didn’t look as good as he does now,” Russell told Sky Sports Racing.
“I’ve got every reason to believe he’ll stay and I think Cheltenham will play to his strengths more than Kempton did.
“We are absolutely delighted with him. He worked yesterday and cantered all the way to the top of the gallops, finding life very easy as usual. It’s just a week now of getting him pin-point accurate and ready to go racing.
“He seems to have improved a bit all season and fingers crossed we can keep that improvement going and he’s coming to the boil at the right time.”
Bravemansgame jumps the last at Kempton clear of Ahoy Senor
Ahoy Senor warmed up for his Festival run with a second victory over the larger obstacles in Grade Two company in the Towton at Wetherby, but that victory was not quite enough to persuade connections to have a go at the Gold Cup this year.
“We put him in the Gold Cup after Newbury but we have to have to remember that he’s still a novice and that came to the fore at Kempton,” Russell said.
“He improved at Wetherby but I don’t think the Gold Cup was quite right for him this year.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Top trainers Nicky Henderson, Dan Skelton, Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead, Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls each select their ‘dark horse’ for the Cheltenham Festival
“We did contemplate missing Cheltenham and going straight to Aintree but Cheltenham is the place for champions and we believe he is a champion. We’ve got to let him take that chance and prove himself.
“I’m tense as it is already, it does mean a lot to us. This is where we want to be and what the yard should be doing. It’s very important for us to be competing at this level.”
Ascot error could be blessing in disguise for Rambler
Corach Rambler was an impressive winner at Cheltenham earlier this season
Russell will head to Cheltenham with two strong chances this year, with fellow novice chaser Corach Rambler joining Ahoy Senor on the truck down from Scotland.
The eight-year-old has won two of his five starts this season – at Cheltenham and Aintree – before finishing fourth in the Classic Chase at Warwick and unseating his rider Derek Fox when mounting a challenge in the Grade Two Reynoldstown at Ascot last time out.
“He’s only a novice but he’s improved with every run and has won round Cheltenham,” Russell said.
“It’s going to be a tough race for him but he might still be on the upgrade.”
On the Ascot disappointment, Russell added: “On the day we were so devastated as we felt he was going to be first or second but afterwards you walk away and think if he had been placed he’d have gone up in the handicap and maybe that’s his chance gone.
“He was still going really well at Ascot and I think the Cheltenham hill really suits him.”
