Horse Racing (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Horse Racing

12:00pm Thursday 28th February 2013 in Sport

A CUT leg has put Cotswold hope Wyck Hill’s Cheltenham Festival participation up in the air.

The eight-year-old gelding needed stitches and staples in his near-hind leg after being 11th of the 12 finishers in the Racing Plus Chase at Kempton.

He was 3-1 favourite to win the lucrative three-mile handicap on his first start since being bought by major owner JP McManus.

“He had about eight stitches and about 14 staples put in his leg,” said trainer David Bridgwater.

“I think it’s superficial. I don’t think it’s going to be a long-term thing.

“The vet’s coming to see him and we’ll take it from there.’ Wyck Hill was partly owned by Bridgwater before McManus stepped in and will stay at his Stow-on-the-Wold yard.

Meanwhile, Bridgwater’s Speedy Bruere (11-2) enjoyed a first win at Towcester under Tom Scudamore by 11 lengths in only the six-yearold’s third competitive run over jumps.

• CHARLIE Longsdon feels the Coral Cup is the one for Pendra out of his three Cheltenham Festival options.

The four-year-old has not run since being bought by JP McManus after following home Melodic Rendezvous in Sandown’s Tolworth Hurdle.

The first foal of Mariah Rollins also has entries in the County Hurdle and Martin Pipe conditional jockeys’ race.

Chipping Norton trainer Longdon said: “I hope he’ll be spot-on for a handicap at the Festival.

“I think he’s my best chance of the week.

“I’d like to go for the Coral Cup but it depends what else Mr McManus has for that race.”

• COTSWOLD jockey William Twiston-Davies secured his first Listed victory with Ladies Are Forever in the bluesquare.com Cleves Stakes at Lingfield.

Twiston-Davies started riding over jumps as an amateur for father Nigel, the Naunton trainer, and his brother Sam is among the top ranked in the National Hunt.

However, the youngest Twiston-Davies switched his focus to the level and landed the biggest win of his career with Geoff Oldroyd’s charge.

Fratellino made a bold bid but Twiston-Davies pushed Ladies Are Forever to the front over a furlong out and she kept responding to win by a length.

• LUCKLEY trainer Martin Keighley picked up victories at Ludlow and Chepstow with fancied horses.

Four-year-old gelding Annacotty (7-2 second-favourite), in his second competitive race, was a weekend winner of the 32Red Maiden Hurdle at Chepstow by four lengths with Ian Popham.

The Ludlow success arrived through six-year-old Faultless Feelings (5-6 favourite) thanks to a first win in the Annual Members Cheltenham Preview On 28th February Maiden Hurdle which had Popham again on board.