Harry Fry is considering a possible stopover in Exeter on his way to the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with Idaho Sun.
The six-year-old, sixth in the Champion Bumper at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles, completing his hat-trick with victory over Dan Skelton’s old Supreme favorite Mydaddypaddy in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Fry immediately identified the festival show in March as his main target and whether he will compete again between now and then has not been decided at this stage.
He said: “He came out well, I thought it was a really good performance and all roads now hopefully lead to the Supreme in March.
“We’re working very hard on that. I think there’s only one race we can or want to put him in beforehand, and that’s in Exeter on February 8. There’s a two-mile obstacle for beginners.
“Obviously the decision we have to make is whether we go straight to Cheltenham with a racecourse gallop before it, or go to that race in Exeter. It would give him more experience, especially on an undulating track, which he was just caught doing when he rode in the Champion Bumper last year.
“I don’t expect there to be any problems, but he did lose balance coming down the hill, so there is the opportunity to hopefully give him more experience at a track like Exeter on the way to the Supreme.”
While Mydaddypaddy’s chances at Aintree came as a shock to many, Fry doesn’t think there was any coincidence about Idaho Sun’s success in a race where four of the nine obstacles were omitted due to the low sun.
He said: “Dan’s horse is obviously a very smart novice too and the race went exactly as we thought it would go, in that we expected Mydaddypaddy to travel apparently very well at our finish area, but Bryan (Carver, jockey) felt he would try to wrap things up and make it a good test and try to get the bridle favorite, which he did.
“He was never going to pass us by the time they got past the last hurdles and I don’t buy the theory that clearing the hurdles helped us. I think clearing the hurdles was also a disadvantage for us and in fact we could certainly have dealt with the hurdles the first time on the straight because he was a bit keen in the hands of Bryan.
“I think we definitely won fairly and they are two smart newbies. I know how highly Dan has spoken of his horse but prior to the race I didn’t feel like he or we had achieved more than each other so it was there for the taking and it was great to come out on top and win going away.
“I can’t wait to get it back to Cheltenham where we have unfinished business. I would love it if it was a Soft-ground Supreme and the stiff finish would really play to our strengths. I can’t wait to get it into top form there in March.”
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