Scriptwriter’s owner Adams will be back on more familiar ground this weekend
Prominent owner Mark Adams hopes it will be ‘downhill’ all the way for Scriptwriter in Saturday’s Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton.
The Milton Harris-trained four-year-old is among Britain’s top hopes for the JCB Triumph Hurdle, despite having his colours narrowly lowered by Comfort Zone in the trial at Cheltenham last month.
A Group Three performer for Aidan O’Brien on the Flat, Harris shrewdly purchased the Churchill gelding and he won on all three starts for the Warminster handler before going down by three-quarters of a length to the Joseph O’Brien-trained Comfort Zone.
🥊 Comfort Zone vs Scriptwriter – some way to start Festival Trials Day
The Irish raider backs up his Finale Juvenile Hurdle victory with glory in the G2 Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle 👀 @JJONeillJnr | @JosephOBrien2 | @CheltenhamRaces pic.twitter.com/eQ1L3xrxuu
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 28, 2023
Adams, who also co-owns the likes of last season’s Adonis Hurdle and Aintree’s Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle winner Knight Salute, and last season’s Grand National ninth Jacamar, hopes Scriptwriter can bounce back in the Grade Two contest at the Sunbury track.
“He’s well and we are looking forward to the Adonis and seeing how we got from there,” said Adams.
“I have a lot of faith in the horse, so we have high hopes.”
On Sunday, Harris was in St Moritz to see the Middleham Park-owned Mordred finish unplaced in the Evangelos Pistiolis Foundation – 83rd Grosser Preis von St Moritz, a local Group Two contest on the ‘White Turf’, which was reduced to four furlongs because of melting snow.
The Warminster handler was also an interested bystander as Adams took part in Skijoring, a winter sport in which a person on skis is pulled by a horse, dogs or a motor vehicle.
“It has not gone to plan so far,” said Harris. “Mark got taken out at the start by another horse on Sunday and there’s often a bit of carnage in it. It is not for the faint-hearted.”
Skijoring races span three consecutive weekends and not being one to shirk a challenge, Adams is keen to return for some unfinished business next year.
“I was a bit banged up and bruised last week, but not this weekend,” said the owner.
“I got taken out at the start. One of the other drivers couldn’t control their horse when he came out of the stalls and took me off the track in the wrong direction.
“I managed to turn my horse around, but they wouldn’t let me join in the race. It was disappointing.
“This is the first time I’ve done it, I’ve just got my licence to race this year.
“Milton had been talking about it for a few years. I ride horses as well and kind of put the two together, but I came out and didn’t quite realise how big an event this is.
“I haven’t quite made my mind up if I will do it next year, but I feel a bit frustrated this year and a bit unfulfilled.
“So I am probably going to have to come back next year and have a go.”
Adams quipped: “Milton will probably give me a shove, regardless. I don’t think he’d do it – I’m not sure they’d find a horse big enough to tow him!”
