Cheltenham Racecourse hosts Festival Trials Day on Saturday. Pic: Dan Abraham – Racingfotos.com (Courtesy of Jockey Club Racecourses).

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TIKKANBAR bids to extend his unbeaten record over hurdles when he contests the Grade 2 Ballymore Classic Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Festival Trials Day this Saturday.

The lightly-raced seven-year-old is unbeaten in two starts over hurdles, the most recent an impressive victory in the Listed Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

The victory followed an emphatic win at Plumpton on his hurdling debut where he made all to win unchallenged by 19 lengths.

The winning brace continued the good form shown last season in bumpers where he won twice after being beaten by a nose at his first start. He was stepped up in class for his last start of the season where he finished midfield in a Grade 2 bumper at Aintree won by the Richard Woollacott-trained Lalor.

Tikkanbar, who is raced by trainer Neil Mulholland’s father Brian, is reported to be in good order ahead of the extended two and a half miles contest that carries stake money of £32,000.

“Tikkanbar is in good form and will have an entry in the Ballymore Classic Novices’ Hurdle,” Neil Mulholland said of his charge.

“We were very happy with his performance on New Year’s Day. He is very much an unknown quantity still, but he keeps winning, which is the main thing.

“Even his run in the Aintree bumper was very good because he was held up last and had boiled over before the race. We are enjoying him and hopefully he can continue to improve.”

In other news, the racing world has paid tribute today to trainer Richard Woollacott who has died aged 40.

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