Stable star Itchy Feet to put marker down for Cheltenham Festival

Betfair ambassador Olly Murphy believes he has a great chance in the Rendlesham at Haydock on Saturday

Olly Murphy (Getty Images)

Itchy Feet is the horse I’m most looking forward to running this weekend.

He will contest the Grade 2 ‘Rendlesham’ over 3m in Haydock on Saturday and I think he has a great chance.

He is reverting to hurdles for the first time since October 2019 but in the intervening period he has shown some very high-class form over the larger obstacles and don’t forget that he’s a Grade 1 winner over fences when landing the ‘Scilly Isles’ in Sandown last February.

I think it’s fair to say that his jumping has let him down occasionally and I’m really hoping that he attacks these hurdles in a way that he hasn’t his fences.

He is a very good horse who has been really pleasing me with in his work at home and the step up in trip to three miles will suit him very well.

I see that, according to the betting, he is one of the fancied runners.

Should he go well here, and comes back safe and sound, then the next natural progression for him will the ‘Stayers Hurdle’ in Cheltenham.

‘Itchy’ has been a stable star of mine and hopefully we can get him back on the winner trail here before dreaming of a big day in March.

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