Derryhassen Paddy and Sixmilebridge will battle it out in a fascinating midweek match in Ayr on Wednesday.
Derryhassen Paddy won a bumper and his first two starts over hurdles for Lucinda Russell, who now trains with Michael Scudamore, and ended last season with an excellent third in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.
The six-year-old begins his career over fences in the Play Coral “Racing-Super-Series” “Chasing Excellence” Beginners’ Chase, but his task is not easy: Fergal O’Brien’s Sixmilebridge scores just £1 off after winning three of his five hurdles starts, including a Grade Two at Cheltenham.
On Derryhassen Paddy, Scudamore said: “It has been the plan for some time to get him over fences and his form is there for all to see.
“He’s built like a hunter and he’s been schooled very well at home. Two and a half miles would be the shorter end of what he wants, but the conditions will be quite testing so that should compensate for that, and we’re really looking forward to getting him out and getting started.
“There aren’t many of these novice chasers coming up and everyone has been waiting on the ground. It’s great for Scottish racing that you have two good horses going head-to-head and Ayr is a lovely place to go to and start novice chasers.
“Obviously we would have loved it if Sixmilebridge hadn’t turned up, but it makes it a real race.”
Scudamore is keen to see how Derryhassen Paddy performs before considering plans for the rest of the season, adding: “I’m sure whatever he does he’ll be in full action. He hasn’t been away but he’s put in a lot of work at home and he’s been as good as ever.”
“At this stage of the season you just want them to do everything well and have a good time. If everything goes well, we can dream of bigger goals further down the line.”
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