Ground crucial for Skyjack Hijack’s super seven bid

No decision has yet been made on whether the prolific Skyjack Hijack will bid for a seventh successive win in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Having seen his winning run begin off a mark of 97 at Cartmel in August, connections have watched him develop into a polished performer.

His last outing was arguably his most impressive to date, as upped to class two company and giving weight away to Tony Martin’s Zanndabad, he made every yard of the running to win by almost 10 lengths.

Connections had intimated he would now have a break after his busy spell but he could still turn out this weekend.

Trainer Jennie Candlish’s assistant Alan O’Keeffe said: “We just need to speak to the course and see what the ground is going to be like as it was a speculative entry really.

“I thought it would be a lot more competitive than it actually is. We’ll make a decision after we’ve weighed it all up. The ground will help us decide, whether it is good to soft or staying on the easier side. If it is, we wouldn’t go.

“We just thought for a Grade Two, and he doesn’t have a penalty, it was worth an entry.

“We had said he’d get a break but we were tracking the entries and couldn’t believe what we were seeing, so we gave him the entry but he’s far from certain to run. We’ll do what is right by the horse.

“You’d have expected something from Ireland, maybe Gordon (Elliott) or Willie (Mullins) might have sent something, but I think they are all going for the Challow Hurdle in a couple of weeks which is maybe why it has cut up.

“It wasn’t on our radar to enter until we had a look and then we thought it was worth one.”