CHELTENHAM NEWS

Sam Spinner can bounce back – O’Keeffe

Jedd O’Keeffe believes Sam Spinner can bounce back in the Stayers’ Hurdle at next week’s Cheltenham Festival.

The nine-year-old earned plenty of admirers in 2019 after winning a hat-trick of races but he has struggled to back up that form.

Sam Spinner made two outings in 2020, finishing dead-last at Newbury in November, while he was pulled up at Wetherby in October.

Despite his clear struggles, O’Keeffe still intends to take his charge to Cheltenham has his sights set on the Stayers’ Hurdle.

“The Stayers’ Hurdle is very much the plan and we will confirm him at the entry stage for the race,” said the Leyburn trainer.

“This has been the plan for quite some time. He had a bit of a setback after he ran at Newbury so we lost a bit of time and unfortunately we couldn’t get him to the Cleeve or the Rendlesham.

“Going straight to the Cheltenham Festival without a run is not perfect but he has had no issues at all since the turn of the year. His fitness seems well and he has been schooling well and he has no issue with the foot problem.

“We still firmly believe that he is a very good horse. He will be one of the outsiders there is no doubt about that and on race form this season he ought to be.

“He has proved he has this level of ability and he likes the track we have just got to hope it all comes together. Everything has got to be right on the day.”