Thomas Mor Headed For Reynoldstown En Route To Festival Bid

Thomas Mor could show he is the forgotten horse in the novice going 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 actually seen Kempton 3rd, Wendigo, and fourth, Salver, frank the type because, connections are buoyant ahead of this Grade Two occasion which could function as a springboard to the Cheltenham Festival.


White said: "The type has been increased considering that Christmas, I was really shocked 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 remains in good 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 need to match and he's 10lb greater than anything else on scores so we need to be confident.


"We'll get Saturday out the method initially before we think of Cheltenham however at the minute we are considering the Grade One.


"This has constantly been the race we had in mind for him after Kempton and we're quite eagerly anticipating the track we are taking."


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


Hobbs and White could 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 test 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 but he's in great form and he's run well at Haydock in the past, so there's no reason not to be thinking that method.


"He remains in fantastic form and schooled over a couple of hurdles on Tuesday morning. We couldn't be better with him and excited to see how he gets on."