Puturhandstogether and Naturally Nimble flying flag for O’Brien

Joseph O’Brien holds a pair of aces ahead of the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle, with both Cheltenham Festival winner Puturhandstogether and Naturally Nimble bidding for Aintree glory.

The Owning Hill handler’s Fakir d’Oudairies was beaten a neck in this Grade One event in 2019, while Nusret also made the podium two years ago, and he has high hopes for his two contenders who he believes will thrive on the forecast ground.

“It looks like conditions are going to be dry which should suit both my runners,” said O’Brien.

“Puturhandstogether has been to Cheltenham, but with a reproduction of his run there, you would like to think he would be in the mix. He did enjoy the better ground he got at Cheltenham and we’re hopeful the ground will be the same.”

While Puturhandstogether was seen storming to victory in the Fred Winter, Naturally Nimble has been kept fresh since finishing fourth at Leopardstown over the Christmas period.

Before that he was a Grade Three scorer at Fairyhouse and his O’Brien is keen to test his credentials in this company.

“Naturally Nimble is going there fresh and is a Grade Three winner who ran well the last day on softer ground,” added O’Brien.

“I imagine he’ll enjoy getting on firmer surface like when he won his Grade Three at Fairyhouse. We’re excited to take him there and we’re hopeful it will suit him.”

The best of the British could well be Live Conti who made the perfect start for Dan Skelton at Wetherby in February after arriving on the back of a win in France for Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm.

Held in the highest regard by his connections, Skelton deliberately missed the Triumph Hurdle to wait for Aintree.

“Harry (Skelton) was very happy with him at Wetherby and said he gave him a great feel,” said Skelton.

“Of course it’s a different set of opposition here, but like a few of ours, he’s missed Cheltenham and arrives here a fresh horse. We’ve aimed him at this and done a lot with him and we like him a lot.”

Another to swerve the Cheltenham Festival was Ben Pauling’s Adonis hero Mambonumberfive.

Pauling said: “Nicky (Henderson) has decided to go two and a half with Lulamba and a few others haven’t declared, so it’s opened it up to a few of the lesser-exposed types and I believe we’re one of them.

“When we went to the Adonis we hadn’t trained him to win that race and we were just hoping to see a performance that was better than the one at Cheltenham before that, which was a complete write-off.

“Kempton was a completely different scenario altogether and he’s in as good form as a horse can be and we’re excited. Even if some of the others had stayed in it would have been nice to see where he fit among a high calibre of juveniles.

“I think at this stage of his career he is going to be suited by a flat track and we go to Aintree full of hope and excited to see what he can do.”