Aspell picks up Festival ride on Gifford's Rouble

13 April 2012

Leighton Aspell, riding out of his skin at present with a double at Fontwell yesterday for Josh Gifford, looks as if he will get his just reward from the Findon handler, who fields a team of five for Cheltenham's National Hunt Festival next week.

The biggest moneymaker could be Gifford's Rouble, who is booked for the Royal & Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle at the jumping extravaganza.

Rouble put Stayers' Hurdle candidate Jair Du Cochet in his place when he came over from France and is one of Gifford's brightest chances at the Festival.

And now, with The Downs stable's main rider, Philip Hide, out of action for two weeks with a broken left-ankle sustained in a fall from Pace Stalker at Folkestone, the freelance is set to shine further.

Gifford said: "Leighton will ride Rouble. He rode him when they beat Jair Du Cochet at Fontwell in February, and I said to Pat Betts, the gelding's owner, that he would be very unlikely to get one of the top jockeys for Cheltenham. So Leighton will stick with him."

Of his other runners, the trainer added: "I shall have to speak to the owners of Mr Percy (Cathcart) because I know they would like Mick Fitzgerald up on him if he is free to ride. Mr Markham (Pertemps Final) is out of the handicap and we will have to wait and see what weight he has got.

"Gare Hill (National Hunt Chase) will be partnered by my nephew, David Dunsdon, who is my son, Nick's, point-to-point rider - they are having a great start to the season between the flags already.

"Then there is Silver Streak (Kim Muir Chase).

Norman Williamson has been asked about him, but there are about four in there that he could be associated with and it is all a matter of which one he picks.

"Leighton has won on him for the owner and could well come in for the ride if Norman is unavailable." Aspell, who has ridden 36 winners from 400 rides this season, is the son of a former County Kildare trainer - turned stud manager.

He was apprenticed to Reg Hollinshead on the Flat, riding nine winners before his 5ft 10ins frame began to fill out and necessitated a move to jumping. Leighton, whose younger brother, Patrick, is carving out a career up north over the sticks as well, had to climb a mountain to get back in the sport he loves. He was arrested in the police investigations into alleged doping and race-fixing a few years ago, but finished-up completely exonerated.

He said: "I can never forget what happened. But I can also never forget the support I was given by so many people in racing. They kept me going and made me strong."

Tom Tate is planning to step promising novice Europa up in trip at Cheltenham next week - provided the ground for the Festival is good.

His six-year-old was a useful performer over hurdles last term and has done little wrong so far after being switched to the bigger obstacles.

He has won two out of four and has run over distances ranging from two miles to two miles, four and a half furlongs.

He lost nothing in defeat when attempting to give weight to Thosewerethedays at Kempton last time.

Aspell picks up Festival ride on Gifford's Rouble

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