Jedd O’Keeffe undecided on Sam Spinner’s future path

The ever popular horse is being switched back to hurdles after being pulled up in Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase at the end of last month.

That was Sam Spinner’s first run for 10 months after suffering a pelvic injury in the aftermath of a novice chase win at Doncaster – and his jumping was tentative.

But the Paul Chapman-owned eight-year-old faces a tough task in the Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle against the last two winners of the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

They include Paisley Park, who narrowly denied Sam Spinner in the 2019 renewal of the three-mile race at the National Hunt Festival, and Lisnagar Oscar who was a shock winner of this year’s renewal.

“We haven’t turned away from fences but we need to restore Sam Spinner’s confidence by going back over hurdles,” said Middleham-based O’Keeffe who had few options for his highly-rated horse.

“Everything is open as to whether he resumes his career over hurdles or goes back over fences. He is in good form at home, working well and has been schooling over hurdles really well.

“We just want to see him go there and enjoy himself, and of course do something.”

Sam Spinner led for a long way in the 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle and was coming back at Paisley Park, after being headed at the last, finishing two and three quarters lengths second.

“It’s a while since he took on Paisley Park but we are hoping that the horse hasn’t lost his ability, enthusiasm or confidence, but his injury was quite severe and it could take a little while to get back on track,” said O’Keeffe.

However this Newbury contest could not be hotter. Tom George will be hoping Summerville Boy can build on a recent Aintree success, while the Philip Hobbs-trained Thyme Hill – one of last season’s star staying novice hurdlers –makes his first start since finishing a close-up fourth in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham.

Aux Ptits Soins (Dan Skelton), Honest Vic (Henry Daly), One Night In Milan (Keith Dalgleish), McFabulous (Paul Nicholls) and Vision Des Flos (Colin Tizzard) also feature.

Meanwhile, just three runners go to post for the other Grade Two on Friday’s card – the Ladbrokes Committed To Safer Gambling Novices’ Chase.

Recent winners of this two-and-a-half-mile contest include a couple of Cheltenham Gold Cup winners in Bobs Worth (2011) and Coneygree (2014), dual King George hero Clan Des Obeaux (2016), high-class mare La Bague Au Roi (2018) and Champ (2019).

The likely favourite for this year’s renewal is Tizzard’s Fiddlerontheroof, who was runner-up to If The Cap Fits on his chasing debut, before getting off the mark with a narrow verdict at Exeter little over a fortnight ago.

His two rivals are Nicky Henderson’s Caribean Boy, off the track since winning at Haydock in February, and the Nicholls-trained Getaway Trump who won recently at Fakenham under Harry Cobden.

Meanwhile, Wetherby’s meeting saw Joke Dancer prevail in the two mile handicap chase for Bingley trainer Sue Smith and jockey Ryan Mania. It was the combination’s second win in less than a week following Informateur’s steeplechase win at Catterick just last Friday.

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