Trainer Tim Vaughan is hoping to run the progressive Theligny (10st 7lb)in the £45,000 Listed bet365 Intermediate Limited Handicap Hurdle (2.40pm, 11 entries) over an extended two miles at Newbury this Saturday, November 26, day two of the bet365 Festival.

The French-bred five-year-old is unbeaten in three starts, all at about two and a half miles, this season. He began his sequence when winning a maiden hurdle at Kelso in September before going on to take a novices’ hurdle at Huntingdon in October and a handicap hurdle last time out at Lingfield Park on November 8.

The grey horse is rated a 10/1 chance with bet365 for Saturday’s contest, which is restricted to novice and second-season hurdlers.

Vaughan, who is based in the Vale of Glamorgan, said today: “We are hoping to run Theligny in the bet365 Intermediate Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday.

“We don’t want to run him in a big field as he is still a very green, babyish horse and he needs to learn his trade a bit better.

“We are dropping back in trip but, at the end of the day, Newbury is a big galloping track.

“It is going to be soft ground and a demanding race, so hopefully that will play to his strengths by putting the emphasis on stamina. I think he is probably more of a two and a half mile horse.

“There is a lot of prize money so we thought why not give it a go. Theligny is a very progressive horse and still does not seem to have a clue what he is doing but is still managing to get his head in front. He has a nice profile and is hopefully still going the right way.

“Theligny really matured over the summer. He is a big, tall horse who is strengthening up and is catching up mentally with what is required.”

Heading the market at 7/2 with bet365 is Ozzie The Oscar (Philip Hobbs, 11st 6lb), a very easy winner at Wetherby last month. Sharing 9/2 second-favouritism are Grade Two scorer Zubyar (Paul Nicholls, 11st 10lb), Listed-placed filly Ormessa Has (Nicky Henderson, pictured) and Brain Power (Nicky Henderson, 11st 8lb), who was third in the G1 Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in April. 

Bet365 Intermediate Limited Handicap Hurdle, bet365 bet: 7/2 Ozzie The Oscar, 9/2 Zubayr, Omessa Has, Brain Power; 5/1 Who Dares Wins; 10/1 Theligny, Tommy Silver; 12/1 Ritual Of Senses; 20/1 Holly Bush Henry; 50/1 Makethedifference

Not-qualified: Romain de Senam

The final field will be known tomorrow for the highlight of the bet365 Festival, the £200,000 Grade Three Hennessy Gold Cup (3.10pm) on Saturday, while declared runners will also be revealed for the seven races on day one of the bet365 Festival, Friday, November 25, when the highlight is the £50,000 bet365 Long Distance Hurdle (2.10pm).

Hennessy Gold Cup, bet365 prices: 5/1 Native River; 8/1 Un Temps Pour Tout, Vyta Du Roc; 9/1 Saphir Du Rheu, Blaklion; 10/1 Smad Place, Henri Parry Morgan; 14/1 Outlander; 16/1 Empire Of Dirt; 20/1 Bishops Road, Theatre Guide, Houblon Des Obeaux, Vicente; 25/1 Drumacoo, Holywell; 33/1 Triolo D’Alene, Coologue, Hadrian’s Approach, Virak, Caroles Destrier; 40/1 Wounded Warrior, Aubusson,, Another Hero; 50/1 Local Show, Otago Trail, Regal Encore, Upswing; 66/1 Double Ross

bet365 Long Distance Hurdle, bet365 prices: 13/8 Ballyoptic; 4/1 Reve De Sivola; 11/2 Ptit Zig; 6/1 Unowhatimeanharry; 8/1 The Romford Pele; 9/1 Menorah; 10/1 El Bandit; 14/1, Ubak, Snow Falcon; 16/1 Maximiser, Monksland; 25/1 Gevrey Chambertin, Rons Dream, Shades Of Midnight; 33/1 Milansbar; 66/1 Shantou Bob