Act Of Innocence set to be the star turn at Huntingdon

All eyes will be on Act Of Innocence when he lines up in the Don Lockwood Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at Huntingdon on Thursday.

Some good horses have won this Listed contest over an extended two-mile-three-furlongs down the years – not least the Nicky Henderson-trained Shishkin in 2020.

Henderson also struck 12 months ago with Califet En Vol and is this year on something of a fact-finding mission trip-wise with a horse in the same ownership as the tremendously exciting Old Park Star.

“He was due to run at Cheltenham the other day and we took him out which was the right thing to do,” said Henderson.

“It was nothing to do with the hole they found, it was more the fact it was the last race of the day on ground which was very testing – and knowing this race was 10 days later it just seemed sensible.

“Huntingdon never seems to get that deep so we’re happy to run.”

Act of Innocence and Old Park Star run for Gordon and Su Hall, and Henderson is surprised his pair have ended up going in the directions they have.

“Funnily enough when they both started working I thought it would be the other way around, with Old Park Star going out in trip,” said Henderson.

“This isn’t a slow horse by any means, but from what we’ve seen of Old Park Star on the racecourse he’s a two-miler. We’re not trying to make Act Of Innocence a two-and-half-miler, he probably is.

“The other day at Newbury he had to make his own running and got beaten trying to give 20lb. He’s been strong at the line both times.

“It’s a nice race, it’s competitive and we’ll find out where we are for sure.”

Forming part of the opposition to the Seven Barrows runner are two contenders for Jamie Snowden in the shape of Lady Tadita (Joe Anderson) and Fresh Perspective (Gavin Sheehan).

Snowden is confident a step up in trip can bring out the best in Fresh Perspective.

“Fresh Perspective won two novice hurdles nicely and then he ran well when third at Sandown last time,” he said.

“He looked like he wanted to step up in trip so this seemed the obvious route to take with him.

“He takes on a couple of smart horses, but he’s unexposed at the trip and hopefully that can bring about the necessary improvement.”

Lady Tadita has course form, with two of her three career victories coming at the Cambridgeshire circuit, and Snowden feels a return to familiar ground will suit her.

“Lady Tadita has won three of her four starts, she was beaten when second in a Listed race at Taunton last time when it was a bit sharp and it all happened a bit quick for her,” Snowden said.

“Obviously being a mare, the more black type we can get for her the better.”

The field is completed by Dan Skelton’s Sinnatra, who won last time out by 55 lengths at Sandown, Glance At Midnight for Andrew Martin and Fergal O’Brien’s Tiddesley Wood.