Snowden targets Newbury trip

Lambourn trainer Jamie Snowden has tipped the impressive Hardy Du Seuil to run at Newbury's Betfair Hurdle next month.

Snowden's exciting six-year-old was most recently in action when he landed the Class 2 Unibet Bet Builder Handicap Hurdle at Sandown, finishing three lengths clear of Paul Nicholls' Iceo and in turn edging Snowden closer to earning £500,000 in prize money in a single season for the first time in his career.

The son of Coastal Path was returning to a two mile trip after he failed to quite stay the finish when stepping up to two miles and three furlongs at Wetherby in November and appeared to appreciate the drop in distance ahead of a potential Newbury bow.

“It hadn’t quite worked in the early part of the season but it meant his handicap mark had dropped a couple of pounds, It was a lovely run and that was perfect," Snowden told The Jockey Club's Graham Clark.

“He was a very good novice chaser last season. He ran in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at the start of the season and they called the ground good to soft but it was fast and he got taken off his feet.

“At Wetherby, over two and a half, he travelled nicely but didn’t quite get home.

"Soft ground is where we have always wanted to go with him and it hasn’t panned out until now. It is nice to grab a good one.

“He was second in a Grade Two novice chase last season but his jumping over fences left a little bit to be desired.

"I’d like to go back over fences at some point but as a young horse he just made a few mistakes.

"We will enjoy him over hurdles for the meantime.”

Snowden suggested that, given his form, he could now send his prized gelding to Newbury next month, depending on the ground.

He said: “You have got to look at a race like a Betfair Hurdle with him, those big two mile handicaps on soft ground are what he will be aimed at.

"You could creep away quietly in there and that would suit him perfectly."