Wonderwall to tune up for Cheltenham in Sidney Banks

Richard Spencer’s smart prospect Wonderwall will put his Cheltenham Festival aspirations on the line in the Ballymore Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon on February 10.

Seventh in the Champion Bumper in March, he opened his account at the second time of asking over hurdles at Doncaster in fine style.

Spencer had mooted the possibility of heading to Cheltenham on Trials Day with the six-year-old, but feels the timing of the Huntingdon race is more beneficial.

“The Sidney Banks is where Wonderwall is going next. We will run him there and then, all being well, it will be on to the Ballymore,” said Spencer.

“We had both the Sidney Banks and the Ballymore trial at Cheltenham on our mind after Doncaster.

“We just felt it would probably be better for the horse to give him a couple more weeks and go for Huntingdon as it is then a nice time frame on to the Ballymore. It just spaces his races out a little bit better.

“We want to try to give him as much chance to turn up at the Festival in top form instead of rushing him back quickly to run in the trial at Cheltenham.

“Hopefully, he can take another step forward at Huntingdon and we can then bring him to Cheltenham in tip-top shape.”