Big day for Sam Twiston-Davies, with leading Festival contenders on trial at Cheltenham

It could prove to be a huge afternoon for Sam Twiston-Davies at Cheltenham on Saturday, as star mounts East India Dock and Potters Charm put their Festival aspirations to the test on Trials day.

Twiston-Davies has five rides on the card, including his father Nigel Twiston-Davies’ admirable hurdler Gowel Road in the Betfair Cleeve Hurdle.

However, his first real chance of success comes aboard James Owen’s Triumph Hurdle hope East India Dock in the Grade Two JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle.

A half-brother to Owen’s Champion Hurdle contender Burdett Road and a general 6-1 second-favourite for the juvenile showpiece in March, the classy recruit off the Flat showed his hand early when impressing in a similar event at Prestbury Park in November.

Since then the likes of Nicky Henderson’s Lulamba and Willie Mullins’ Sainte Lucie have both entered the Triumph Hurdle picture, but East India Dock is out to serve a reminder of his own credentials in a race that includes Paul Nicholls’ stable debutant from France, Sauvignon – a Listed winner at Auteuil in June last year.

“I’m really looking forward to it and obviously we’ll get a good idea about what he’s doing moving forward after this,” said Twiston-Davies.

“He’s got some good form in the book, and some experience about what would be the Triumph Hurdle course and distance will be great for him.

“I’ve ridden in a lot of juvenile hurdles this season, but what is nice about East India Road is he stays well and can deal with slower ground nicely and this race won’t do him any harm in gaining a bit more experience before hopefully the Friday of Cheltenham.”

If East India Dock has the potential to get Twiston-Davies’ afternoon off to a flyer, then he could end it on a high when he partners his father’s Potters Charm in the concluding Ais Novices’ Hurdle.

Unbeaten in four hurdling starts, he has already racked up two Cheltenham victories and a Grade One triumph in Aintree’s Formby Hurdle this season. Having initially looking like being kept fresh for the Festival, his training team have had a rethink ahead of this Grade Two event.

Connections have been far from shy about stating the esteem in which the talented six-year-old is held and he now looks to continue his journey to stardom in a race The New One finished second in 2013 but was won by the Twiston-Davies team with Wholestone in 2017.

“He wasn’t going to run, but he’s very fresh and well and I’m just spoilt to have a horse like him,” continued Twiston-Davies.

“The opportunity looks good for him, so hopefully it proves so. He’s very versatile so will be fine whatever the ground is. We’ll enjoy it and hope he wins.

“He’s a good horse and hopefully one day he can fill the boots of The New One, Bristol De Mai and horses like that.”