High Definition appeals to Powell in Supreme Novice

Brendan Powell nominated High Definition as the horse he is most looking forward to among Joseph O’Brien’s team at the Cheltenham Festival this week.

High Definition was winter favourite for the Derby after winning the Group 2 Beresford Stakes as a juvenile and went on to earn a rating of 119 on the Flat with Aidan O’Brien when just denied in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup also at the Curragh.

The son of Galileo made a winning start over hurdles at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting before unseating JJ Slevin in the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Powell, who had nearly 1,500 winners in his career as a jockey and a trainer and enjoyed his finest hour aboard Rhyme ‘N’ Reason in the 1988 Grand National, has been an assistant trainer to O’Brien for the past few years and has a wealth of experience in the game.

“I'm looking forward to High Definition. It is a great Supreme, but he is a very good horse if he puts his act together,” said Powell.

“If it comes up soft, he will be okay on it and it is the first race of the meeting so he is going to get the freshest ground.”

The Carriganog yard could have as many as nine runners over the four days with the likes of Banbridge hoping to add to his ‘Martin Pipe’ win 12 months ago when lining up in the Turners Novices’ Chase on Thursday.

Quotes by Michael Graham