Thomas Mor Headed For Reynoldstown En Route To Festival Bid

Thomas Mor might show he is the forgotten horse in the beginner chasing division when he heads to Ascot for the Injured Jockeys Fund Ambassadors Programme Reynoldstown Novices' Chase on Saturday.


Philip Hobbs and Johnson White's course winner was 2nd to Kitzbuhel in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase on Boxing Day and having seen Kempton third, Wendigo, and fourth, Salver, frank the type given that, connections are buoyant ahead of this Grade Two occasion which could function as a springboard to the Cheltenham Festival.


White stated: "The kind has been improved considering that Christmas, I was extremely surprised when looking at the Brown Advisory wagering to see he is 100-1 and a few of the horses that have lagged him and not too far in front are single figures.


"He's in excellent form and schooled well on Tuesday early morning and returns to Ascot which is a course he won well at on his . Conditions must suit and he's 10lb greater than anything else on ratings so we have to be confident.


"We'll get Saturday out the method initially before we think of Cheltenham but at the minute we are believing of the Grade One.


"This has actually constantly been the race we wanted for him after Kempton and we're quite eagerly anticipating the track we are taking."


Thomas Mor has smart course kind (Andrew Matthews/PA)


Hobbs and White could likewise be represented at Ascot by the well-regarded Starzand in the opening Betfair Novices' Hurdle, a race the stable won with Sporting John back in 2020.


Meanwhile, French Ship, another of the Minehead operation's leading lights, is most likely to test the waters in graded company at Haydock when heading to the north west for the ZYN Rendlesham Hurdle.


"He'll probably go to Haydock instead of the Pertemps qualifier at Wincanton," continued White.


"It will be competitive however he's in excellent form and he's run well at Haydock in the past, so there's no factor not to be believing that way.


"He's in excellent kind and schooled over a number of hurdles on Tuesday early morning. We could not be happier with him and excited to see how he gets on."