Psycho aims for compensation

Tony Martin hopes Psycho enjoys a welcome change of luck in the totesport Trophy at Newbury.

His charge finished second to Penny's Bill in a controversial Pierse Hurdle earlier this month when a day-of-race weights hike took the winner into the handicap proper.

"He has come out of the Pierse Hurdle well and I am quite happy with him. I am probably going to run him in a couple of weeks," the trainer said.

"The intention is to run him at Newbury next. I think that the horse has come on well from the last run. I'd definitely hope he would improve a little and if he did I'd hope he would put up a really good show.

"It is going to be a very competitive race. The horse of Gary Moore's Numide looks to be a threat, so too the horse that won on the weekend, Songe.

"Nicky Henderson's horse Sentry Duty is also a big danger so it won't be easy, but if we get him there in the form that he is currently in, Psycho will have a good chance."

Psycho has been knocking on the door in big races of late and Martin feels he is due a change of luck.

"He just been such an unlucky horse. He should have won the County Hurdle last year then there was a race at the Pierse Hurdle meeting last year where he fell at the last with the race looking in the bag. He also unshipped his jockey when leading in a point-to-point one day so he has been very unlucky.

"For such a good horse, you would like to see him get a big pot and hopefully, there is one in him down the road."

The totesport Trophy is just the starting point as Psycho faces a busy spring.

"Cheltenham is the target again where he'll hold an entry in the Coral Cup and also the County Hurdle. We'll get Newbury out of the way first but there are plenty of good races for him. He could go to Punchestown, Fairyhouse or Liverpool as well."