3.30 Cheltenham: "He’s one of our shining lights in the novice hurdle division"

Willy Twiston-Davies has every faith in Ferocimo as he targets Grade Two honours in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday.

Looking to follow in the hoofprints of stablemate Potters Charm, who won this race for connections in 2024, the four-year-old was an impressive 14-length debut winner under rules at Fontwell last month.

“He’s always shown up to be a very nice horse at home and we were hoping for that sort of performance, I think he’s one of our shining lights in the novice hurdle division,” said Twiston-Davies, who trains at Grange Hill Farm alongside father Nigel.

“His home work since has been very good, it looks like he’s stepped forward quite considerably, which he will need to do. Obviously it’s a very competitive race, but we think he’s really smart.

“He’s still very inexperienced and he’s going to improve throughout the season. Cheltenham is a very different track to Fontwell and he was 80 per cent fit there, and I think we are getting him towards nearly spot on.

“The horse he beat (Nightflyer) ran a respectable race in second to what looked a nice horse (Trigg) at Warwick and so I don’t think the form is too bad, and we won emphatically.”

Another eyecatching participant is Dallas Star, who has moved from Robson De Aguiar to Emmet Mullins to embark on a jumping career.

The five-year-old, who won the Group Three Ballysax Stakes in 2024, won a maiden on his hurdling bow at Navan in September before stepping up to Listed company last month at Limerick, where he found only Tountinna too good.

“Everything seems to be going well and we are very happy,” Mullins said. “He probably didn’t progress jumping-wise (at Limerick) as much as we hoped, but we’ve put a bit more schooling into him in the meantime and fingers crossed the two runs should stand him in good stead.

“He won’t be far away at all. Hopefully he’s in good order and he’s ready to go. The engine is there and we just need the slickness over hurdles with our jumps, but I’m sure with match practice that will come.

“One race at a time, but he’s a high-class animal and it’s great to take in a Grade Two race. He ran a Listed race last time and moving up to Grade Two, he’s competing in the right races and hopefully he can hold his own in this grade and possibly progress.”

Dallas Star will be first runner to don the purple silks of Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation at jump racing’s Headquarters.

Mullins added: “He’s been very excited by this, since we won the maiden hurdle at Navan it’s kind of been the target.

“He’s very relaxed about it and I think there’s a bit of excitement in the camp as well.”

Dan Skelton’s Divine Diva arrives having beaten Princess Day on her debut over hurdles at Chepstow, while Woodstock Octo started his career under rules with victory for Kayley Woollacott after six successive point-to-point wins.

Persian War third Lock Stock goes for Stuart Edmunds, while Skelton’s second dart Hitintheheadlines and the Olly Murphy-trained Petersham Place bid to build on winning starts.

Two more Irish raiders in Luck Between Us (PJ Rothwell) and Red Acres Georgie (Tony Mullins), and Jonjo and AJ O’Neill’s Lion Rose Sivola complete the 10-runner field.

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