Victram On Course For Newbury Date

Imperial Cup winner Victram is bang on target for another assault on a major handicap hurdle in the totesport Trophy at Newbury on Saturday.

Adrian McGuinness' charge will be making his fifth trip across the Irish Sea, with his last visit yielding a third-placed finish to Acambo and Tarlac in The Ladbroke at Ascot.

While those two head the betting for Saturday's contest, Victram is available at 25-1.

However, he does have to put a disappointing showing in the Pierse Hurdle behind him.

'I just think he had too much weight last time in the Pierse, he had 11st 8lb and basically it is very hard to win a Pierse Hurdle with that kind of weight,' reflected McGuinness.

'We are not too badly treated over in England. I think we are about 12 or 13lb better off with Mister Hight than what we were in the Pierse.

'I think that is probably because we have run in England a few more times so they have had chance to assess us but we might also be a bit more exposed than some of the other Irish runners.

'The ground should be fine for him if it's good to soft like they say.

'But we've had to change riding plans as Andrew Lynch has been claimed by Mr (Michael) O'Brien to ride Forget The Past in the Hennessy.

'I've booked Johnny Farrelly instead, Jonjo O'Neill's young claimer, he is a rider I have a lot of time for.'

Emma Lavelle could be double-handed in the ultra-competitive Grade Three heat with stable stalwart Self Defense and promising novice Rio De Janeiro.

'I'd say at this stage both are definitely heading in that direction but we have nothing absolutely confirmed at this stage,' she said.

'I think this is the first chance Self Defense has had of being competitive in a race like this and overall I would be keen to run as long as I can get the right person on board.

'It's not as a good a race as it has been in the past but at the same time, it looks very competitive.

'Rio De Janeiro ran a decent race in the Tolworth and won last time and I think the better the ground, the better he will be.

'We have nothing booked jockey-wise but I would say both are more likely to run than less.'

Piers Pottinger hopes to become the first owner to see his colours carried to victory three times in the race.

Pottinger had the fortune of Geos winning the race twice in 2000 and 2004 and is now keeping his fingers crossed the Nicky Henderson-trained Caracciola can repeat the dose at the weekend.

The 10-year-old has been performing with credit at a high level for a number of seasons but connections report the gelding to be better than ever ahead of his latest assignment.

'This race has been the plan for a long time but a hell of a lot this weekend depends on the weather ? we need good ground,' said Pottinger.

'We think he's the best he'll ever be ? which were Nicky's words to me ? and if you look at the form we are pretty ?well in' at the weights for a change.

'He has won at Newbury before, he's a course-and-distance winner and he's literally in the best form of his life.'

(C) PA Sport