Gale Mahler to storm Cheltenham for Dundee United chief

Gale Mahler is out to storm Cheltenham and chalk up a Magnificent Seven for Dundee United director Jimmy Fyffe.

Doors swing back open at the home of jump racing on Friday for day one of their hotly-anticipated 2024/25 campaign. Feature contest of the afternoon is the Grade 2 Sky Bet Sharp Novices Hurdle with Tannadice chief Fyffe owning the event’s hottest property in Gale Mahler. Adrian Keatley’s mare, who is top-price 25-1 for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, goes in search of a seventh straight win when blowing into Prestbury Park.

The five-year-old has run up a sensational sequence with her Uttoxeter win over Flying Fortune being emphatically franked when Peter Bowen's charge triumphed in the Persian War two weeks ago at Chepstow.

Trainer Keatley said: “She’s a good mare, keeps it all very simple and gets on with her job when she gets to the track. She’s a pleasure to have and mares like her are hard to come by. I feel there’s plenty more to come from her,”

Scots trainers are represented at the meeting by Lucinda Russell. The Arlary House handler has sent “nice prospect” Kingston James south for the Class 2 Alistair Down Press Room Novices Hurdle.

Russell’s five-year-old was a smooth winner at Hexham on hurdling debut last month having been a point-to-points and bumper with Patrick Wadge taking the ride.