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Wednesday's racing round-up includes future plans for Fergal O'Brien's Dysart Enos...
The Polly Gundry-trained Don't Rightly Know continued her upward progression with a success in the Listed Charlie Nugent Memorial Mares' Chase at Newbury. An impressive ten-length winner of a handicap chase at Exeter, Don't Rightly Know jumped well generally, despite a mistake at the eleventh fence, under a confident Harry Cobden ride and easily defeated the Lucinda Russell-trained Apple Away, with Fantastic Lady back in third.
Funiculi Funicula earnt quotes of 16/1 from Paddy Power for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, following a comfortable success in the Monroe Hurdle at Clonmel. Second on sole start in France for former trainer Daniela Mela, the five-year-old gelding made an impressive start to his Irish career for the Willie Mullins yard, jumping well under Paul Townend and extending the winning margin to seventeen-lengths at the line. The son of Storm The Stars holds entries for both the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Turner's Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
Greatwood Hurdle third Dysart Enos could head across the Irish Sea for the Dublin Racing Festival in early February. Trained by Fergal O'Brien, the mare was unbeaten on her first six outings and was ruled out of a tilt at last year's Cheltenham Festival. Returning after a ten month absence, she ran well to finish third in the Greatwood Hurdle behind Burdett Road before disappointing in similar company at Ascot in December. She holds entries in both the Irish Champion Hurdle and the mares' handicap at the Leopardstown meeting.
Declarations for Friday's meeting at Windsor reveal an exciting start to the three-day Berkshire Winter Million fixture. Four runners will compete for the feature prize on Friday's card, the Grade 2 Lightning Novices' Chase, including record-money purchase Caldwell Potter. He made a successful debut for new trainer Paul Nicholls at Carlisle in December but faces You Wear It Well, who benefits from a mares' allowance. Honky Tonk Highway heads the market for the valuable 3m Fitzdares Berkshire Winter Million Novices' Hurdle, with Dan Skelton's mare aiming to enhance her Cheltenham credentials.