Cheltenham could feel even more 'home from home' for Robbie Power this weekend.
The Gold Cup-winning rider, who pulled up Tiger Roll in Friday’s Cross-Country feature won by Kingswell Theatre, moved to Britain last month due to travel restrictions in place over coronavirus.
Power’s usual cross-channel commute is only possible for Grade One races but this weekend Irish horses are coming to him in force instead.
Of the Irishman’s nine rides at the home of jump racing, three are for top English trainer Colin Tizzard.
Power can also look forward to two mounts each for Gordon Elliott and Paul Nolan as well as teaming up with both his old ally Jessica Harrington and Emmet Mullins for The Shunter in Sunday's handicap feature.
Unlike Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup, the following day’s Unibet Greatwood Hurdle has Irish interest with Tony Martin’s Tudor City joining The Shunter in the line-up.
The latter hit the headlines in July when banned for 60 days under ‘Non-Trier’ rules that also saw Mullins fined a record €6,000 and jockey Brian Hayes suspended for 21 days.
The Shunter won on his return to action before winning one of his two subsequent starts over fences.
Lowest weight
Considering the lowest weight Power has done in the last year is 10.4, his presence on The Shunter off bottomweight of 10st looks eye-catching.
Jungle Junction was unseated at the first at Navan last week and Jessica Harrington wastes no time getting him out again for Sunday’s Grade Two novice hurdle while Power is on board Paul Nolan’s Discorama in an earlier handicap chase.
Henry De Bromhead’s Arkle winner Put The Kettle On returns to action in Sunday’s Shloer Chase and 24 hours earlier her stable companion Zarkareva lines up for Grade Two novice chase.
Power’s first spin on the dual-Grand National hero Tiger Roll ended in anti-climax on Friday when Gordon Elliott’s star was pulled just after halfway in the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase.
Having got warm beforehand, Tiger Roll was never a factor in the race and Power reported: “He was never travelling and never had a cut at his fences. I pulled him up as he was in no sort of rhythm.”
In other news the Cork card scheduled for Sunday which was called off due to flooding has been refixed for Sunday week.
