Supreme engagement on the cards for L’Astroboy
Evan Williams could target the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with L’Astroboy, who outran his odds to finish runner-up to Tahmuras in the Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.
Adam Wedge’s mount, who had won a bumper at Ffos Las, beating Tahmuras by a neck on his debut in February, went into the Grade One contest on the back of a maiden hurdle success on the same Welsh track in November.
Sent off a 16-1 chance for the two-mile contest, the William and Angela Rucker-owned L’Astroboy stayed on under pressure to take the runner-up spot, some two and a half lengths behind the winner.
The £70,000 G1 @unibet Tolworth Novices' Hurdle sees Tahmuras tastes top-level success under @CobdenHarry to provide @PFNicholls with a fifth win in the feature event @Sandownpark 🏇 pic.twitter.com/fSSDBgwyd9
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 7, 2023
The six-year-old Kasmin gelding has taken the race well, according to his Llancarfan handler.
Williams said: “The horse ran well. We took a bit of a punt running in a race like that but I’ve no complaints whatsoever.
“He has run a very solid race. He still looked a work in progress in many aspects. You could only take positives out of it. You couldn’t in any shape or form be negative at all.”
With favourite Authorised Speed soon beaten and Irish raider Arctic Bresil pulled up, some were quick to crab the form of the eight-runner contest, which was run in soft ground.
“It was funny,” said Williams. “Before the race, everyone said what a good race it was. So, I read all these reports before the race about how hot a race it was, then I read the reports after saying what a poor race it was.
“So, what I am going to do, as always, is leave it to the experts in the press!”
Though L’Astroboy could take on Tahmuras again in the Sky Bet-sponsored Supreme on March 14, Williams is keen to let the dust settle before making any decision.
“I haven’t got a plan,” he added. “It was very sporting of the owners to have a crack at a Grade One after winning two races at Ffos Las.
“We are genuinely delighted with him and genuinely delighted with how he has come out of the race.
“I don’t think we will get too fixated on anything. We have got loads of options. He will be entered at Cheltenham in the two-mile race.
“I wouldn’t think we will go further at this stage, although he looks like he will stay further down the line. We will see if the experts are correct in their assumptions.
“I’m very lucky in that I have never, ever listened to anybody else’s opinion, I’ve only ever listened to mine – it has always served me well down the years!”
