Nick Scholfield hungry to get back on Arkle possible Sky Pirate as return nears

Nick Scholfield, who has been on the sidelines since breaking his leg in three places in a freak accident at Fontwell in November, hopes to be back in action as early as this week, with Saturday's impressive Warwick winner Sky Pirate among the horses he is itching to return for.

After crossing the line in fourth on the Jack Barber-trained Shintori in a handicap chase at the Sussex track on November 6, Scholfield was broadsided by the riderless Go Steady and in the process sustained the worst injury of his career.

He had hoped to get back for the ride on Sky Pirate, owned by Martin Tedham who he has an arrangement to ride for, on Saturday but was narrowly beaten by the clock.

It was not all bad news, however, with the eight-year-old emerging as a potential Sporting Life Arkle contender with a fluent success under Jonjo O'Neill Jr in the Edward Courage Cup at Warwick.

"I feel good," said the rider on Sunday. "In an ideal world I'd have been back for the weekend but Dr [Jerry] Hill, the chief medical adviser, preferred I had another week. I broke it in three places and you have to respect what they say, but I'm back riding out and the Peter O'Sullevan House has been great throughout.

"With Covid-19 there's been no gyms so to have that facility has been great. If I'm not back this week, hopefully it will be next and there's still plenty of good racing to come."

Sky Pirate: a 'proper Saturday horse' according to Nick ScholfieldCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Grand Annual Handicap Chase had previously been mentioned as a possible Cheltenham Festival target for Sky Pirate and trainer Jonjo O'Neill was not ruling that race out on Sunday.

Yet, despite his considerable experience over fences, Sky Pirate remains a novice, making the Arkle a potential alternative according to his trainer and Scholfield can see plenty of positives in taking on Shishkin and company in the Grade 1 contest on March 16.

"It was brilliant for Mr Tedham," said Scholfield of Saturday's win in handicap company. "He's put a lot into the game and is a big supporter of racing. It's nice to see him reaping the rewards with what I would call a proper Saturday horse."

Sky Pirate has run 12 times over fences under rules and the jockey thinks that could prove to be a big advantage if he were to head down the Arkle route.

"He's an experienced novice and ran to a mark around 150 on Saturday," Scholfield added. "If you're in the 150s it can be hard to win handicaps, so being a novice is a golden ticket because it gives you that option. Jonjo knows what he's doing so we'll leave it to him.

"Shishkin is looking like the red-hot favourite [for the Arkle] but he's only had two runs over fences around Kempton and Sky Pirate has had a solid handicap campaign. You only get one crack at it and it would be nice if Mr Tedham could have a Grade 1 runner at Cheltenham."

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