Cheltenham Hero Fehily Has High Hopes For Teddy

Features | 10th March 2022

The 10 proud owners of exciting chaser Come On Teddy are counting down the days as they dream of Cheltenham Festival glory.

Their eight-year-old gelding, who carries the colours of Noel Fehily Racing, will run in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup for amateur jockeys on day three of the Festival.

And former jockey David Crosse, who runs the syndicate along with Champion Hurdle-winning rider Fehily, hopes all is set for a memorable performance.

“His trainer Tom George has freshened him up since his excellent second at Newcastle in January and he loves Cheltenham. He won a three-mile chase there last season and was third in the Grade 3 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle last year.”

Cross says preparations for his big day are going well. “We’ve booked top amateur Will Biddick who will have a sit on Teddy when he has an away day in Lambourn the week before the race,” he reveals.

“Noel and I couldn’t be happier with Teddy. He has the credentials to run a very big race and give his owners and their partners a day to remember.”

Come On Teddy will be cheered on by all his owners including Premier League linesman Adam Nunn, accountant Brook Alder and Robert and Ann Darlow, a retired couple who had never won any prize money as owners until joining Noel and David.

Noel Fehily Racing also have their unbeaten mare Love Envoi entered at the Festival. The mudlark is among the leading fancies for the Grade 2 Parnell Properties Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, better known as the Dawn Run, but is far from certain to take her chance.

“She will be left in the race until declaration stage but we need the heavens to open, which is probably unlikely,” explains Crosse. “She is more likely to go for a Grade 1 mares’ race over two and a half miles at Fairyhouse in Ireland at Easter instead.

“To win five races on the bounce with her has been amazing for her owners and all credit to trainer Harry Fry for that,” he adds. “Looking back, we stole her for £38,000 at the March sale at Cheltenham last year. We saw a lot of potential in her back then and are delighted that she is taking her owners to the big meetings.

“She showed her class by winning a Grade 2 mares race at Sandown last month in heavy ground, despite running away with Jonny Burke and flattening the second last, but that’s exactly the type of going she needs.”

Having runners at all the big meetings is what Noel Fehily Racing strives for, but to take home a Cheltenham Festival winner would rank their proudest achievement so far. “It’s our intention with every horse we buy to get to the big festivals so it’s great to be living the dream with Teddy,” adds Crosse.