Neverushacon tackles Cheltenham cross-country test Jessica Harrington is hopeful that Neverushacon can translate his smart cross-country form at Punchestown to Cheltenham in this afternoon’s Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase. The Echo Of Light gelding has proved a grand servant to connections winning ten times over a variety of distances and ground conditions on the Flat, over hurdles and fences. Two of those wins have come over the banks at Punchestown including last month in the Ballymore Group Risk Of Thunder Chase, and he’s got around in two previous attempts at Cheltenham notably when fifth to Easysland in this race last year. Harrington is praying the ground is not too testing for the nine-year-old saying, “He was in great form at Punchestown. He did it very well. He’s jumped round there before. I hope the ground isn’t too heavy.” The Moone handler added, “I’m looking forward to running him, he’s in great form. He loves the ones at Punchestown. He’s won twice there — I just hope he can win at Cheltenham now.” Michael Scudamore saddles a big threat in the shape of Kingswell Theatre. The 11-year-old caused an upset when winning at this discipline for a second time last month, making all the running to beat Beau Du Brizais despite being well out of the handicap. This time he has 11st 7lb to carry but Scudamore reports his stable stalwart in fine form for his return. “Kingswell Theatre seems to have come out of his latest race in fine fettle. He has been a stable star for the yard and we could not be happier with him. “It is clearly a different race this time around. With Easysland and Potters Corner coming out of the race, he will have to carry an awful lot more weight, so we will see how he handles that. “Carrying a lot of weight round there is going to be tough, but I suppose the big two horses being out makes it a slightly easier race, although with the likes of Step Back and Neverushacon in there, it remains a really open race.” Step Back bids to complete a hat-trick for the season. Winner of the prestigious bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown in the spring of 2018, Mark Bradstock’s ten-year-old has largely struggled to rediscover that form since. However, an all-the-way victory in a three-runner race at Wincanton in October has seemingly turned his fortunes around, as he has since followed up in a veterans’ chase back at Sandown last month. Sara Bradstock, assistant to her husband, is looking forward to seeing Step Back pursue a new discipline around Cheltenham’s cross-country circuit saying, “Step Back seems to have got his mojo back. “It’s always difficult for horses after they win a big race like that (bet365 Gold Cup), as they get a bit high in the handicap and you can’t ever give them an easy run. “He’s very much a confidence fella, so the Wincanton race with three runners really helped him believe in himself again, and then the veterans’ chase at Sandown was ideal as for an Irish horse like him, who didn’t start running until he was five, he’s not really a veteran. “He’s schooled really well round the cross-country course at Cheltenham since Sandown and it just gives him another route to go down.”
