Postmark aimed at Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham

Milton Harris will give Rubber stamp another run from a crack in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, after a comfortable win at Newbury on Sunday.

The four-year-old, who is part-owned by former West Ham and Bournemouth manager Harry Redknapp, has been a useful handicapper on the flat – including winning the Racing League under Frankie Dettori – but was a little disappointing in his hurdling, when he was seventh of nine at Kempton over Christmas.

Mitch Bastyan’s mount proved otherwise on his second attempt, however, when he pulled away after the last in the Bloomfields Horseboxes Presents The Raceline Professional Maiden Hurdle to beat three rivals by five and a half lengths and over, with good to firm ground earning him one better light.

Speaking from St Moritz, Harris said of his 11/8 favourite: “He’s a nice horse and I expected him to win today. He just didn’t like that floor last time in Kempton.

“I know the race was interrupted a bit but the second horse (Up For Appeal) could be a nice horse.

“He’s only four years old. We could just try to give him another fast run and then consider going to the Boodles. We have to do three runs before going there. I think he’s a nice horse.”

Few horses in training are as consistent as Mortlach and he rewarded owners Richard Hames and Doug Pocock with a seventh win since April last year by winning the Stewart Wright Memorial Novices’ Handicap Chase by four-and-a-quarter lengths under Paddy Brennan.

The 11/10 favorite had finished second on four occasions – including the Grade Two Rising Stars Novices’ Chase in Wincanton – and was third at both the John Francome and Kauto Star since he last scored at Kelso in October .

Trainer Fergal O’Brien thinks it’s possible for the eight-year-old to compete in either the Sporting Life Arkle Trophy or the Turners Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

He said: “I’m just happy for Mortlach. He was a good servant. When he’s in those big races, like Christmas, he’s always trying his best and when Paddy feels like he can’t win he kind of takes care of him.

“He’s been so consistent – ​​he shows up every week and has had a lot of races and he’s made us proud. He loves racing and is very easygoing. He spends most of his time in his field, eating what little grass there is.

“We’ll probably take him to Kempton next Saturday. Two miles is probably short for him, so we better see him than two and a half.

‘You’d be a brave man if you assumed he wouldn’t go to Cheltenham, especially as far as Paddy is concerned. The Turners broke up last year and you never say never. That’s why he has these entries. You just don’t know who will show up. We have such a dry spell, you never know.”

The favorites behind were also on cloud nine at the time cloud dancer justified his 6/4 odds of winning the Bloomfields Horseboxes Presents The Raceline Professional Junior “National Hunt” Hurdle under Niall Houlihan.

The Gary Moore-trained runner, who was making his hurdling debut, stayed in good shape after the final race in the extended two-mile to score five-and-a-half lengths.

“First run in a hurdles, still quite green, only his second run but they set a nice pace and canter and really suited him.” Houlihan to Racing TV.

“I think he will get better with time and he hit the line hard.

“He was just a little big at the beginning but I was really impressed with how the further he went through the race and the faster he got the more skillful he was over his hurdles; luckily he’s a natural. He showed that today it has gears and it has an engine.”

flying nun (7/2 favourite) put up two lackluster runs at Hereford to loot the three-mile handicap hurdle of Byerley Stud Mares for Emma Lavelle while there was a bye Dalamoi in the Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase when the sole rival Quick Draw was withdrawn for fast ground.

family business (9/4) was far from fluid on the first lap of Kevin & Karen Waller’s 60th Birthday Handicap Pursuit, but warmed to submission as Gavin Sheehan pulled down the backstretch.

The Richard Hobson-trained six-year-old soon had his two opponents in trouble turning home and went on to score by eight lengths.

In the final Bloomfields Horseboxes Presents The Raceline Professional Open National Hunt Flat Race, Sheehan completed a one-two aboard the even-money favorite idy wood for coach Jamie Snowden.

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