HARRY Fry feels Unowhatimeanharry is perfectly positioned to take on Thistlecrack in the Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on Friday week.

The nine-year-old has won 10 of his 11 starts since joining the Seaborough-based trainer, suffering his only reverse when third in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

He avenged that defeat when turning the tables on Nichols Canyon at Punchestown and looked as good as ever when winning on his unscheduled reappearance at Aintree earlier this month.

Fry was at Newbury’s Ladbrokes Winter Carnival official gallops morning on Tuesday to see his Ladbrokes Trophy contender American go through his paces, after which he provided a positive update on his star staying hurdler.

“It is all systems go for the Long Distance Hurdle,” the trainer confirmed.

“He was just so well at home we thought the race at Aintree fitted in perfectly. He has come out of that perfectly, so that did the job and was ideal.”

Unowhatimeanharry won the Long Distance Hurdle 12 months ago and looks set to be taken on by the previous year’s victor Thistlecrack.

Colin Tizzard’s brilliant gelding has not been seen in competitive action since January, however.

With the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day his major aim for the first half of the season, Fry is hoping Unowhatimeanharry can catch him cold at Newbury.

He added: “It’s going to be a good race and I think we will be giving 6lb to Thistlecrack as he has lost his penalty having spent a year over fences.

“It will be intriguing.”

“For Thistlecrack this is not his be-all and end-all, it’s a start and run to put him spot-on for the King George.

“We know how good a horse he is. Even a half-fit Thistlecrack is still going to be a formidable opponent.

“We will be there to take our chance and see how it goes.”