Nick Scholfield Relishing Cheltenham Festival Chance with St Irene
2 minutes From a betting perspective, St Irene remains a lively outsider but one with an upward curve.
Nick Scholfield is gearing up for a first Cheltenham Festival runner as a licensed trainer, with stable star St Irene set to fly the flag in what has already been a highly promising debut season.
Based in Lambourn, the former jockey has made a seamless transition to the training ranks, sending out winners at a healthy strike-rate of around 20%. His fourteenth success of the campaign arrived at Catterick on Tuesday when Itsinthename justified favouritism under Sean Bowen, underlining the consistency of the yard.
The standout performer, however, has been six-year-old mare St Irene. Formerly with Ben Brookhouse, she showed ability in bumpers last term before making an immediate impact for Scholfield. Sent off at 40/1 on her stable debut, she ran a huge race to finish second in a Newbury novice, then took a significant step forward by winning her next two starts — the latest a Listed success at Taunton.
That progression has earned her a shot at the Cheltenham Festival, where she is set to line up in the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle.
Speaking to Racing TV at Catterick, Scholfield sounded upbeat about her preparation: “She worked this morning, she’s in good nick. She’ll go for a gallop probably at the weekend and we’ll send her there fit and ready.
“I was hoping that a few of the others might not go but she deserves a crack at it; she’s a big price but we’ll have a go.
“I can’t thank that mare enough, she’s been tremendous for me and I love her to bits.”
From a betting perspective, St Irene remains a lively outsider but one with an upward curve. She is currently available at 16/1 (NRNB) with Paddy Power, and for many racing fans and bettors, her Festival run will be one of the more compelling stories from a trainer enjoying a dream first campaign.
