Myretown looking to be first big winner for Russell and Scudamore team

Michael Scudamore can rubber stamp his training partnership with Grand National-winner Lucinda Russell when Myretown heads to Newbury with leading Coral Gold Cup claims on Saturday.

Scudamore – son of Russell’s partner and assistant Peter Scudamore – officially joined the licence of the Kinross yard in August having previously trained in his own right.

Now the pair hope Myretown can prove a horse still on the upgrade, as he heads to Berkshire for his first outing since winning at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

“It’s always exciting to be involved to be in the big races and it’s a huge privilege and thrill to be going to Newbury with a big chance in such a prestigious race,” said Scudamore.

“He was in at Cheltenham off a very light weight and a rating that doesn’t often get you into a race like that. He was certainly at the right end of the handicap but couldn’t have been any more impressive.

“He’s got to go and take another step forward now but there’s plenty of reasons to believe he can do that. He’s still pretty young, still lightly raced and you hope that he is still improving.

“You would certainly hope he’s got more to come and his profile would give him every chance to do that.

“His work at home has been very good this time and he’s had a few away days as well to make sure we’re coming here in the best possible shape we can and we hope he still might have a little something up his sleeve.”

Second to Myretown in the Ultima was Joe Tizzard’s The Changing Man, who was the runner-up on his return to action at Ascot and represents a stable in red-hot form.

“He had a lovely comeback run at Ascot and I’m really happy with where he is,” said Tizzard.

“It’s ultra-competitive, there is no doubt about it, but he has handled that in the past and we’ve popped a pair of cheekpieces on just to see if we can eke out a little bit more.

“The horses are in good nick and he’s in good form going there, so I see no reason why he can’t run a massive race.”

Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen have also continued to be a lethal combination in the early salvos of the season.

In Resplendent Grey they have a versatile performer with enough stamina to win the bet365 Gold Cup on the final day of last season, but classy enough to claim the scalp of Betfair Chase fourth Handstands when returning over much shorter in Carlisle’s Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase.

Murphy said: “All has gone well, he’s had a prep run and has had a racecourse gallop since. It’s going to be dead competitive, but I’ve got absolutely no excuses and we’ll make one up after if we have to!

“We had a bit of a frustrating weekend last weekend but that’s the way it goes sometimes and if they’re not winning, they’re running very well. Touch wood, they’re healthy and well.

“It’s going to be tough, but he’s in very good form and we’re kind of hoping he just might be a Graded horse running in a handicap.”

Another yard in rude health is that of Sam Thomas, who famously won this race aboard Denman as a rider, and now attempts to repeat the feat as a trainer having given his Katate Dori a pipe-opener over hurdles at Aintree.

Thomas said: “He’s fit as a flea. He had a school last week, he is ready to run a big race if he’s good enough.

“It’s going to be a tough ask but he’s got a nice racing weight and I am confident we’ve got him right, but I’m just not confident that we’ve got lots of improvement left.”

Katate Dori had Nicky Henderson’s Hyland 15 lengths adrift in second when winning a major handicap at Kempton in February, but the Seven Barrows handler is hopeful his charge – who was a Grand National contender in April – can turn the tables to give him his fourth win in the race.

“You would love to be a little lower in the handicap and for Hyland you don’t want to see the ground getting on the slow side,” explained Henderson.

“He ran well in the big handicap at Kempton on softer ground than ideal, when he was second to Katate Dori. That was soft ground and a big field and could replicate what he will meet on Saturday.

“He’s had a run and takes plenty of work but hopefully he’s still got some upside.”