Thomas Mor Headed For Reynoldstown En Route To Festival Bid
Thomas Mor could show he is the forgotten horse in the newbie going after department 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 second to Kitzbuhel in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase on Boxing Day and having seen Kempton 3rd, Wendigo, and fourth, Salver, frank the type considering that, connections are resilient ahead of this Grade Two event which could function as a springboard to the Cheltenham Festival.
White stated: "The form has been increased because Christmas, I was very surprised when taking a look at the Brown Advisory wagering to see he is 100-1 and a few of the horses that have actually lagged him and not too far in front are single figures.
"He's in great form and schooled well on Tuesday early morning and returns to Ascot which is a course he won well at on his penultimate start. Conditions should fit and he's 10lb higher than anything else on rankings so we need to be confident.
"We'll get Saturday out the way initially before we think of Cheltenham but at the minute we are believing of the Grade One.
"This has always been the race we had in mind for him after Kempton and we're really much eagerly anticipating the track we are taking."
Thomas Mor has clever course type (Andrew Matthews/PA)
Hobbs and White might likewise 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 likely to check the waters in graded company 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 great form and he's run well at Haydock in the past, so there's no factor not to be that method.
"He's in terrific form and schooled over a number of hurdles on Tuesday morning. We could not be happier with him and thrilled to see how he gets on."