Huntingdon’s Big One
There will also be some Cheltenham clues at Huntingdon on Thursday. The Cambridgeshire track holds one of its big days, featuring the M1 Agency Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle.
Shishkin won the near two-and-a-half mile contest three years ago before following up in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival. This year, Rare Edition heads a small but select five-strong field as Charlie Longsdon’s runner attempts to push his Cheltenham claims. The race is named in honour of trainer Sidney Banks, who was based nearby and was chairman of the racecourse. His son Michael, a permit-trainer who saddled Clerk’s Choice to finish sixth behind Hurricane Fly in the 2011 Champion Hurdle, followed his father in becoming chairman at Huntingdon. He was also a much-respected steward.
The Sidney Banks race – won in the past by Nick The Brief, French Holly and Time For Rupert – has an impressive roll of honour but it cannot match the illustrious former winner’s of Huntingdon’s biggest race of the year. The Peterborough Chase, run in early December, numbers Wayward Lad, One Man, Best Mate and Monet’s Garden among its former winners. Pic D’Orhy landed the Grade 2 prize this season.