3 minute read
The Naunton-based trainer plans to gatecrash the Irish Leopardstown party on Saturday, and has high hopes for his six-year-old in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors “50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff” Novice Hurdle.
Nigel Twiston-Davies has enjoyed various successes at the Punchestown Festival over the years, but has only ever sent one runner to Leopardstown before, and that was fully 25 years ago when Moorish failed to threaten the rich prizes in the Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle..
Weveallbeencaught, a £210,000 purchase after winning an Irish point-to-point, made a successful debut for his new connections in a Newbury bumper last season, and made a promising start over hurdles when third behind subsequent Challow winner Hermes Allen in a Grade Two at Cheltenham in November.
The six-year-old went on to justify favouritism in a maiden hurdle at Prestbury Park on New Year's Day, beating Saturday's Cheltenham winner Rock My Way, and will step up to Grade One level at Leopardstown.
"That's the plan. It was good to see the horse that was second to him winning at Cheltenham on Saturday. We're very happy," said Twiston-Davies.
"The owners wanted to go to Ireland. We're going to have a crack and we'll see how we do."
Weveallbeencaught is an 8/1 shot for the Dublin Racing Festival curtain-raiser, with Barry Connell's Good Land heading the market at 2/1.
Other likely contenders for the two-mile-six-furlong contest on the opening afternoon include Henry De Bromhead 's Hiddenvalley Lake, the Paul Nolan-trained Sandor Clegane and American Mike from Gordon Elliott's yard.