Burdett Road © Photo Healy Racing
Burdett Road will attempt to become the latest to use the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle as a stepping stone to greater things when the classy Flat graduate returns to hurdles at Cheltenham on Sunday.
A Royal Ascot winner as a three-year-old when trained by Michael Bell, he made an immediate impact when sent to James Owen for a juvenile hurdling campaign last term, winning a Grade Two in impressive fashion at this meeting 12 months ago and becoming a Triumph Hurdle contender in the process.
An injury following his defeat by Sir Gino back at Cheltenham in January curtailed his first season over obstacles but he retuned from his setback to plunder a Listed contest on the Level this autumn and also performed with credit in Group One company behind Kyprios on British Champions Day.
Reverting to timber was always inevitable for this high-class dual-purpose operator and with just the three outings in this sphere to his name, his trainer is optimistic he has far from reached his ceiling.
“He’s in great form and his last two runs on the Flat have been career-best runs,” said Owen.
“He’s schooled well since and has obviously only had three runs over hurdles, so going in against seasoned handicappers would be my only worry. But off his Flat form you would like to think his handicap mark is quite workable.
“He won the juvenile Grade Two on this track, the Old course, this time last year. Albeit that was on different ground, but I don’t think the conditions will inconvenience him. I’m looking forward to getting him back over hurdles.”
The anticipated favourite is Fergal O’Brien’s Dysart Enos who has been flawless in her career to date and arrives off a tantalising handicap mark that connections are keen to exploit having missed Grade One assignments at both Cheltenham and Aintree in the spring.
With the defection of Sam Thomas’ Lump Sum, it is left to Nicky Henderson’s Under Control to shoulder the burden of top-weight in a race connections won with Iberico Lord 12 months ago.
“She ran quite well in the Galway Hurdle and we’re looking forward to running her,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus.
“It’s a very competitive race, but we’re hoping for a good run.”
One handler with an exceptional record in this race is Dan Skelton and he bids for his third victory since 2016 with Be Aware who carries an unexposed profile following some useful outings last term.
“He’s got a nice profile and he ran well in a good handicap at Sandown at the end of last year,” said Skelton.
“He also ran well in some nice novice races and although he doesn’t have the experience of some others, hopefully he can be progressive this season and it’s a nice starting point.
“We’ll get on and get in this and see how we get on.”
Emmet Mullins won this with The Shunter in 2020 and fires a two-pronged assault with Jacovec Cavern and Toll Stone who have both showed up nicely on the Flat of late.
Go Dante, meanwhile, is a standing dish in these two-mile handicap events and the Imperial Cup winner heads to Prestbury Park fully primed by trainer Olly Murphy following an early-season pipe-opener.
“He’s battle-hardened and is in good form and trained for the race and we’re looking forward to running him,” said Murphy.
“He’s had his prep run at Ffos Las and he’s had his wind done as well. I wouldn’t mind a bit of rain but I’d love to think he has an each-way chance.”
