Woods could be worth seeing at Towcester meeting

Jockey Kielan Woods has a good chance at Towcester on Thursday

While the eyes of most of the racing world are fixed on drama unfolding at Prestbury Park and the third day of the Cheltenham Festival, Woods will be hoping to make an impression for local trainers Alex Hales and Ben Case.

Punters at Towcester will be able to watch events at Cheltenham such as the Grade 1 Ryanair World Hurdle unfold, but it might be worth their while to break off to cheer on Scooter Boy in the Xpress Relocations Handicap Hurdle at 2.25pm.

The Hales-trained runner is owned by yard sponsor Steve Brown whose Lactodorum Contracts concern has its roots in Towcester so there will be plenty of support for a local runner. Scooter Boy has been a winner this season, scoring by a neck at 20/1 at Huntingdon in January and also boasts course form, having run second on his debut in a bumper here behind Ballyboley two years ago.

Scooter Boy had originally been considered for last Saturday’s novice hurdle final at Sandown which provides an indication of the esteem in which he is held.

Meanwhile, Woods has also been earmarked for rides on the Case-trained Wish In A Well and Lily Of The Moor in the 3m handicap chase and the 2m 5f Brackley Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle respectively.

Case has endured a frustrating winter with runners placed rather than winning, but recent signs are more encouraging with a success for Themanfrom Minella at Exeter last week, while handicap hurdler and yard favourite Phare Isle also belied his odds to finish third.

Wish In A Well has only shown modest form but has tumbled down the handicap as a result and ran fourth at Market Rasen last month. Lilly Of The Moor is a Flemensfirth mare having her first run in this country having shown a respectable level over hurdles in Ireland.

Local supporters will also be out in forced to cheer on the Gerald Bailey-trained Gunmoney in the Towcester Open Hunters’ Chase at 4.25pm.

The 11-year-old is in the form of his life having won his last three point to point outings for owner-rider Johnny Russell who suffered a bad fall on another of his horses at Garthorpe last month. He will have to contend with another sturdy county runner in the form of Legal Legend from Chris Henn’s yard. The nine year-old has plenty of Towcester experience, having been third in a bumper here while also winning a hunters’ chase on the card on April 1 last year.