Scudamore says Un Temps Pour Tout can improve to win World Hurdle

David Pipe has four in the Pertemps at 2.05pm. Knight Of Noir, Bygones Sovereign, Katkeau and Unique De Cotte. I ride Unique De Cotte. I had the choice of three and basically it was a hard one between Knight of Noir and Unique De Cotte but on the basis of his run at Ascot last time I went down in his favour. He’s still improving, he hasn’t that many miles on the clock. He’s won around Cheltenham before.

I think Knight Of Noir is a good horse and he’s got the visor on for the first time which will help him. I think he’ll be there or thereabouts but it’s always frustrating when a horse goes up in the handicap when he keeps getting beaten and that’s what’s happened to him. He’s run very well but the fact of the matter is that he hasn’t got his head in front. That’s quite unfair on horses to keep getting the brunt of 5lbs here and 6lbs there and yet not having a win to show for it.

I was impressed with Unique De Cotte at Ascot last time. I know he’s been overlooked by AP McCoy but I hope on this occasion he’s got it wrong. In terms of his jumping, it might not have looked very pretty, but Unique De Cotte got from one side to the other and kept finding a leg. It wasn’t pretty but it was certainly effective.

Bygones Sovereign has been a revelation under Michael Heard. I thought he was very badly handicapped but he’s proved me completely wrong. How a horse can be improving at nine, god only knows, but David has managed to do it. You keep writing him off, but do it at your peril because he’s got a string of ones next to his name. Yes, he’s going to be one of the outsiders but he’s in the form of his life and gets on very well with Michael.

Katkeau has won round here but he’s a bit in and out. He ran a better race at Chepstow last time but I think personally that he has it all to do. He’s a very likeable horse. He’s tough and he enjoys the track but I thought Knight Of Noir and Unique De Cotte probably have stronger chances.

I don’t have a ride in the Ryanair at 2.40pm unfortunately. Hidden Cyclone was second last time and can go well again. I was impressed by Balder Succes last time. But the one I like was beaten by Balder Succes, Ma Filleule. You can make a case for plenty but I think she’s the value.

Un Temps Pour Tout (World Hurdle 3.20pm) will have improved for his first run of the season. He’s tough, he’s run well around Cheltenham and we’ve always thought a lot of him. Hopefully he’ll take the chance today to prove it. He’s an exciting horse but it’s a Grade 1 Championship race at the Festival. There’s no outstanding single runner in the race. At the moment looking through it there’s no Inglis Drever or Big Bucks or Barracuda, but they all had to start somewhere. I’m hoping that the next Inglis Drever or Big Bucks is Un Temps Pour Tout but Sam will be thinking the same thing about Saphir Du Rheu, and you’ve got Zarkandar there too. It’s a very competitive race and we’ll see how we go. He has to improve but I think he has that improvement in him.

Monetaire sneaks in at the bottom in the Plate at 4.00pm. It’s a bit of an unknown about the trip to be honest, two and a half miles around here on the stiffer track. I’ve been impressed by his two runs this season. He’s improving. I’ve won the race twice for his owner and it would be no surprise to go and do it a third time.

David runs a couple in the Kim Muir at 4.40pm. The Package and Standing Ovation. The Package could be interesting. He’s always threatened to win a decent race. There will probably be a horse there with younger legs that will win but at a decent price he could go well. Standing Ovation has been running well and he sneaks into it at the bottom. He was running a big race when he fell here last time. If I was riding in the race then it would be the Package that I’d like to be on of the pair.

Tom