Thomas Mor Headed For Reynoldstown En Route To Festival Bid

Thomas Mor might show he is the forgotten horse in the beginner chasing after 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 3rd, Wendigo, and 4th, Salver, frank the form considering that, connections are resilient ahead of this Grade Two event which might serve as a springboard to the Cheltenham Festival.


White said: "The form has actually been increased given that Christmas, I was really shocked when looking at the Brown Advisory wagering to see he is 100-1 and some of the horses that have been behind him and not too far in front are single figures.


"He's in excellent kind and schooled well on Tuesday early morning and goes back to Ascot which is a course he won well at on his penultimate start. Conditions need to match and he's 10lb higher than anything else on so we have to be enthusiastic.


"We'll get Saturday out the method first before we consider Cheltenham however at the moment we are believing of the Grade One.


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


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


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


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


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


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


"He remains in terrific form and schooled over a number of difficulties on Tuesday early morning. We couldn't be happier with him and thrilled to see how he gets on."