Boothill (left)© Photo Healy Racing
Boothill is set to renew rivalry with Jonbon in the Betfair Tingle Creek at Sandown on Saturday week.
Harry Fry’s high-class two-mile chaser made a flying start to last season with back-to-back handicap wins at Ascot, but fell on his next two starts at Kempton and Newbury.
He rounded off his campaign with a creditable performance in finishing fourth behind Jonbon in Sandown’s Celebration Chase – and finished best of the rest behind Nicky Henderson’s runner on his reappearance in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham earlier this month.
Jonbon will be odds-on to win his second Tingle Creek next weekend and Fry admits he will be a tough nut to crack, but he is happy to roll the dice nonetheless.
Fry said: “Boothill is very much on target for the Tingle Creek. He’s come out of the Shloer Chase in really good form and we were delighted with his run.
“He deserves to take his chance at Sandown, albeit we’re going to be coming up against Jonbon and Edwardstone for sure and if Jonbon turns up and runs his race, he’s going to be very hard to beat.
“We deserve to be in there pitching, so we’ll throw our hat in the ring and you never know. One day one might go his way.”