Promising novice hurdler High Bridge will run in a novices’ hurdle at Newbury on Saturday instead of taking on Colin Tizzard’s exciting gelding Finian’s Oscar in a Listed contest at Exeter on Sunday.
High Bridge, trained by Ben Pauling, joined the stable after the retirement of John Ferguson and the six-year-old son of Monsun has looked impressive in two starts over hurdles so far this season under Mr Alex Ferguson.
The gelding was a three length winner at Newbury in December beating subsequent winner Chelsea Flyer before scoring by nine lengths at Catterick earlier this year.
Pauling’s charge will look to extend his unbeaten winning sequence over hurdles to three wins in the extended two-mile contest at Newbury on Saturday in which he faces myriad other unexposed horses including Alan King’s Azzerti, a winner last time out.
High Bridge is entered in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle over two miles at the Cheltenham Festival and also the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle over an extended two miles and five furlongs.
Pauling said of the gelding: “He’s going to go to Newbury. He’ll have a double penalty there, which isn’t ideal, but if he’s a Supreme horse he should be able to do it.
“I think the Supreme and not the Neptune is the way we are thinking at the moment.”
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