Tom Scudamore: ‘I’ve been looking forward to riding Adagio in the Triumph Hurdle.’

Coral ambassador previews his Cheltenham Festival day four rides

Tom Scudamore gives us an insight into his rides for the final day of the Cheltenham Festival and what he thinks of Al Boum Photo.

Cheltenham 13:20 – Adagio

I’ve been looking forward to riding Adagio in the Triumph for some time.

He’s been fantastic this season, and the form of his Grade 1 win at Chepstow at Christmas was given a boost by the way the beaten horses that day ran in the Boodles on Tuesday.

We have a little bit to find with a couple of these on official ratings, but only a few pounds. He’s won at the track, the ground won’t be a problem, and if he improves again, and he has been improving at a rate of knots all season, he should run a big race.

Cheltenham 15:05 – Black Op

I’m on the outsider Black Op in the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup, so you have to look back at bits and pieces of his form to give him a chance here.

But he won’t mind the drying ground, and I thought he showed signs at Kempton [in the King George] that he was getting back to form.  I sat on him during the week, he schooled well and felt great, and it wouldn’t be the biggest shock if he outran his odds.

Al Boum Photo is going for the hat-trick, and he’s the one to beat here, but I don’t think he’s captured people’s imagination yet, maybe because he always just does enough to win his races, but he’s not flashy. He keeps winning though, which is a very good attribute for a racehorse to have!