Snowden eyeing Kempton Christmas date for Wendigo

Jamie Snowden is inclined to follow the “tried and tested” route to Kempton with Wendigo, after his top chasing prospect starred in a fabulous weekend for the Lambourn handler at his local track.

Last year’s Challow runner-up and Albert Bartlett fifth fought back brilliantly to pick up the Grade Two John Francome Novices’ Chase over two and a half miles, drawing parallels with last year’s winner The Jukebox Man, who went on to the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on Boxing Day for his trainer Ben Pauling.

Snowden said: “It was a fabulous weekend and going to our local track with two nice horses and coming away with two big wins is great and it keeps up our record at a meeting that has been very kind to us in the past.

“Wendigo was very good over two and a half on good ground and the exciting thing is we know he’s only going to improve again for going up in trip on softer ground.

“The Kauto Star is the obvious race and it’s a route The Jukebox Man went down – he was also second in the Challow, won the John Francome and then went to the Kauto Star.

“It’s tried and tested and we will wait until closer to the time before confirming the decision, but he’s come out of it bucking and squealing.”

Snowden left Newbury with a perfect 100 per cent record after La Conquiere, his only other runner at the course over the weekend, enhanced her reputation with a commanding victory in the Listed Play Coral “Racing-Super-Series” Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

The Lambourn handler will now work back from the Mares’ Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, a race he won in 2023 with You Wear It Well.

“I thought La Conquiere was very good. She travelled through the race well and looked very smart and won pretty cosily in the end, so I think she is super exciting,” continued Snowden.

“It was only her fourth start and I thought she was very good the first day at Uttoxeter and she beat a very good yardstick who came out and bolted up at Warwick last week.

“We’ll find our way to the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. She’s a different mare to You Wear It Well and has a bit more speed I think.

“You Wear It Well was actually second in a Challow and won the Jane Seymour before winning at Cheltenham and took a bit more racing, but I think we’ll just be a bit more patient with La Conquiere.

“She probably won’t take as much racing, but I don’t think she needs a huge amount and she’s already very smart.”