JP McManus is targeting a big race double at the Cheltenham Festival Trials Day this weekend.
Champ headlines seven entries for the Welsh Marches Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle on Saturday, while Chantry House will bid to get back on track in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase after a below-par effort in the King George VI Chase.
The three-mile Cleeve Hurdle is a key prep event for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival and Champ is currently the general 4-1 second-favourite for the big race in March after landing the Long Walk Hurdle before Christmas.
Nicky Henderson’s charge was returning from a lengthy lay-off at Ascot having disappointed in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but while the stayers’ route appears his likeliest target he is again in the Gold Cup and connections stress no decision has been made yet.
Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, said: “He’s ready to go, Nicky’s happy with him. Hopefully he’ll go there in good form and we hope for the best.
“It’s an ideal prep race and hopefully all goes well.”
As for whether he goes for the Stayers’ Hurdle or Gold Cup, Berry added: “Nothing is set in stone.
“We’ll see how he goes on Saturday and Nicky will make the call after that.”
Meanwhile, Chantry House was sent off 3-1 favourite for Kempton’s Christmas feature but was never travelling well and was pulled up at the 12th fence.
The eight-year-old has the chance to put himself back in the frame for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, for which he is a 16-1 chance.
“The plan is for him to go there. He was very disappointing on the day in the King George. We couldn’t find the reason for it, but Nicky seems to be very happy in the meantime and hopefully he’ll have a nice run on Saturday,” said Berry.
“You’d like to think the Gold Cup would be the target, but we have to get Saturday out of the way first and see how he gets on.”
Among the eight entries is the novice Ahoy Senor, who holds entries in the Gold Cup and the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Festival.
The seven-year-old, trained by Lucinda Russell, was outpointed by Bravemansgame in the Grade One Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton after landing an impressive success by 31 lengths at Newbury in November.
The Polly Gundry-trained Santini, winner of this race in 2020 when with the Henderson yard, is also a possible. The others are Aye Right, Ex Patriot, Kauto Riko, Simply The Betts and Coole Cody, who also holds an entry in the Welsh Marches Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle.
Paisley Park, the 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle winner, finished third at Ascot for Emma Lavelle and could also run in the Cleeve Hurdle, along with the Rebecca Curtis-trained Lisnagar Oscar.
The nine-year-old was a shock 50-1 winner at the Festival in 2020 but has failed to repeat that kind of form subsequently, being pulled up in the Long Walk on his most recent run.
Curtis said: “He’s fine, obviously it wasn’t a great day at Ascot, but he does seem to come to form from Christmas onwards and he loves Cheltenham.
“We’re going to give him a run in the Cleeve Hurdle and see how he goes there.
“If he runs well and seems back to himself then we’ll think ahead to March, but we’ll use the Cleeve Hurdle for a bit a guidance as to what we do with him next.”
Chantry House is the 10/11 favourite with Ladbrokes for the Cotswold Chase this weekend, ahead of Aye Right at 5/2 and Ahoy Senor at 7/2.
Meanwhile, the same firm have priced Champ at 1/2 to win the Cleeve Hurdle. His nearest rival is Paisley Park at 11/4.
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