15 February 2023

You Wear It Well the latest flying the flag for red-hot Challow form

15 February 2023

You Wear It Well will hunt for a first Graded-race victory in the Weatherbys-sponsored Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown on Thursday.

The Jamie Snowden-trained six-year-old, who has good bumper form to her name, was last seen finishing second to Hermes Allen in the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury in late December.

Prior to that she was the winner of two novice hurdles in the autumn, making a successful debut over obstacles with a seven-length success at Worcester and then trouncing nine rivals to triumph by 22 lengths at Hexham.

Since Newbury her stock has risen due to the resulting form of the race, with four Challow contenders going on to the win on their next start.

Among them is Snowden’s own Passing Well, fourth in the race and a good winner at Newcastle since, and Fergal O’Brien’s subsequent Sidney Banks victor Marble Sands.

Snowden reports his mare to be in good form ahead of her next target, a Grade Two event which will pave the way to one of a handful of Cheltenham Festival options over varying trips.

He said: “She’s in great order. She’s been pretty progressive all the way through the season, winning her two novice hurdles.

“She ran a cracker when stepped up in trip when second behind Hermes Allen in the Challow at Newbury.

“This looked the obvious step for her, going forward, and she’s in a couple of races at the Festival but we’ll cross this bridge first and see how we go.

“She’s not devoid of speed, but equally there is a lot of stamina in the pedigree so hopefully she’s one of those horses that can be equally effective over any trip.”

Of the Challow form boost he added: “The race has worked out really well, we had the fourth horse, Passing Well, and he’s won since, so has the fifth-placed horse (Marble Sands). ”

Elsewhere in the race there is a sole Irish entrant in Gordon Elliott’s Deeply Superficial, who will be ridden by Davy Russell.

Dan Skelton is set to saddle both She’s A Saint and Vicki Vale, with Touchy Feely, Nicky Henderson’s two-time winning hurdler, completing the field of five.

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