Vedette seeking Festival victory :: Horse Racing News

Free horse racing news, tips, results and more!

02:40 Friday 10th February 2012

Updated: 15th March 2010

Vedette seeking Festival victory

PA News

Colm Murphy arrived in Cheltenham early on Monday to soak up the atmosphere as he prepares prolific winner Voler La Vedette for the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle.

Murphy has tasted Festival success twice before as Brave Inca landed the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in 2004 and the Champion Hurdle two years later. He elected to bypass the latter race with Voler La Vedette and the six-year-old will instead clash with Willie Mullins' Quevega in the concluding event on day one of the meeting.

Murphy's mare is unbeaten in four runs this season and claimed the scalp of Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle favourite Go Native last November. Her trainer said: "It is good to be back here but I have just arrived so haven't had a chance to look at the ground. She took the journey well and has had a nice break since Christmas."

A field of 17 will go to post for the Grade Two event, which on paper appears to be a match between Voler La Vedette and last year's 14-length winner Quevega.

The six-year-old went on to finish third in the Champion Hurdle at Punchestown but has not raced since picking up an injury in France last May.

Mullins commented: "She came here with a good chance last year but hasn't had a prep run this time so there has to be a big question mark there."

Nigel Twiston-Davies advises punters not to discount Amber Brook simply because of her disappointing run last time.

"Amber Brook has very much been forgotten, she's a very long price," the Naunton trainer told At The Races.

"She broke a blood vessel last time at Doncaster and everyone has forgotten her because of that. She's a handy price. She'd not done it before, she's not done it at home since and I don't think she'll do it again. She did it very early on when she wasn't really under any race pressure. I'd be happy that she'd be OK."