Thursday, 5 October 2017

Alan King's Sceau hopes to make a Royal start over fences at Warwick

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Champion Hurdle sixth Sceau Royal makes his chasing debut in Warwick’s Bet At Racinguk.com Novices’ Chase (3:20) this afternoon.

Alan King’s five-year-old progressed well last season, winning at Grade Two level in Wincanton’s Elite Hurdle.

A Fighting Fifth fourth, followed a two length defeat to classy stable-companion Yanworth in the Kingwell Hurdle prior to his strong effort at the Cheltenham Festival.

Last seen finishing ninth in the Scottish Champion Hurdle, connections have always believed he would be better over fences.

The six-time hurdle winner is odds-on to make a winning start at the Warwickshire venue.

“You feel like the new jumping season is upon us when class hurdlers like Sceau Royal are down to make their seasonal debut,” said Geoff Lester, writing on Alan King’s website.

“The fact that this 154-rated hurdler now switches to fences for the first time makes Alan’s trip to Warwick today even more exciting.

“Warwick is one of Alan’s favourite racecourses and the five-runner novice chase there looks the ideal starting point, and Daryl Jacob came down to Barbury recently and expressed himself happy with the way Sceau Royal shaped on the schooling grounds.

“Sceau Royal was one of the slickest jumpers of hurdlers around, and if he is equally fast over his fences he could be quite exciting, but Alan is under no illusions that while he has plenty in hand over today’s four rivals on hurdles rating, this is a whole new ball game for him.”

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Stable companion Yanworth also makes the switch from hurdling to novice chasing this season

The JLT may be his principal target for next season’s Cheltenham Festival, and bookmakers have currently priced him at 25-1 for Festival glory.

Sceau Royal’s biggest dangers to a debut win is Charlie Longsdon’s Forth Bridge. The five-year-old begins chasing after a promising season as a juvenile hurdler, where he was victorious on two occasions and fifth in a Grade One contest at Aintree in Her Majesty’s colours.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ experienced hurdler Ballyhill also switches to chases, he was last seen trailing the field in the Martin Pipe.

Evan Williams’ improving Positively Dylan takes his place alongside outsider Farm The Rock. 

Sceau Royal is priced at 4-9 for the 2m5f contest this afternoon.

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