Pride sent over fences at Worcester Paul Nicholls has described Pride Of Dulcote as a very exciting horse to embark over fences who has already schooled well and he has just three rivals to contend with under Ruby Walsh in the Fred Rimell Memorial Novices' Chase at Worcester tomorrow. He was reportedly over-the-top when last seen at Aintree back in April and apart from a fall at Cheltenham last November he had a great novice hurdle season in 2008/09, second in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle to Weapon's Amnesty. Captain Americo is expected to provide the main opposition. Following his brace of winners at Exeter today for Nicholls, Walsh only has the one other ride, on Super Formen in the Richard Davis Memorial Handicap Chase. Interestingly this fellow was described by Nicholls, in a tour of Manor Farm Stables, as being bigger and stronger this year and should prove capable of winning off his current mark. Gordon Elliott runs Bauhaus (Jason Maguire up) in this heat. Other Irish runners on the eight race programme are Val Donoghue's Tarkani (Robert Thornton on board for the 1.50), the same yard's Be Smart (half-an-hour later, Jimmy McCarthy up) and Adrian Murray's Leneygaff (Tom Molloy up in the 2.50). Meanwhile Jonjo O'Neill introduces two potentially interesting ex-Irish point-to-pointers in the J P McManus colours in the Fenceline Leading Trainer And Jockey Awards Maiden Hurdle. Tony McCoy prefers Hopeful Start. This Flemensfirth five-year-old won at Kilworth for Ronnie O'Leary last March. Ridden by Derek O'Connor that day, in a race that was run in an extremely heavy snow shower, the 5/2 chance took over after two out and stayed on strongly to account for the vastly more experienced Dashing Bach by eight lengths. A half-brother to three Park winners (Calithyne, Calvic and Calies Old Vic) and from the same family as Another Brownie and Lastofthebrownies, Hopeful Start is a very interesting sort. Noel Fehilly comes in for the mount on Domos Boy. He was runner-up on his debut before scoring for Jerry Cosgrave under Noel McParlan at Maralin, also last March. His position in the betting relative to Hopeful Start should reveal plenty.
