Williams hoping Perth can put Minstrel back in tune

EVAN WILLIAMS is hoping 2013 Scottish Champion Hurdler Court Minstrel can recapture some of his best form in the feature race at Perth tomorrow, writes Gordon Brown.

Meccas Angel, with Paul Mulrennan on board, wins The Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes yesterday. Picture: Getty

The Vale of Glamorgan raider, who has since won a couple of novice chases, faces seven rivals in the £20,000 Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer STV Appeal Summer Handicap Hurdle (for the Governors Cup).

Williams said: “He had a hard time of it over fences in the spring and he didn’t do very well when we turned him out so we brought him back in.

“To be honest, we’re struggling a bit with the little horse and he needs to find a bit of his bounce. We’re coming to Perth because he has done well in Scotland in the past and hopefully there will be encouragement.

“There are only so many places we can go with him and at least there is good prize money on offer which is always the case in Scotland.”

Among those in opposition to Court Minstrel are John Ferguson-trained pair Commissioned and Ittirad partnered by Mikey Ennis and Aidan Coleman respectively. Ferguson, who is based in Newmarket and is Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock advisor, has saddled an impressive five winners from just seven runners at Perth this season.

Jumps jockey championship leader Richard Johnson, runner-up to the now retired A P McCoy on 15 occasions, has a decent book of rides and he is on board Romany Ryme for Gordon Elliott in the Totepool Racing’s Biggest Supporter Handicap Chase.

Elliott, another regular visitor to Perth, is the leading trainer at the Scone Palace Park track in 2015 with nine winners to his name.