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| Cheltenham Festival 2012 |
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Exciting Novice Chases In Prospect
26/01/12
A new sponsor and some top-class entries are revealed today for the four non-handicap championship novice chases staged at The Festival from Tuesday to Friday, March 13 to 16 at Cheltenham.
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The Grade One 2010 Weatherbys Champion Bumper, is another with winning Festival form while the 11 Irish-trained entries include Sir Des Champs, who was successful in last season’s Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
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The seven-year-old won a Grade Two novices’ chase at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day over two miles and five furlongs and Keighley is favouring the Jewson Novices’ Chase as a Festival target.
“You’d have to say the Jewson will be the preference at this stage – I think that will be the race for him,” revealed Keighley. “He’s been in really good order since Cheltenham, he’s had a nice break and we could bring him back for one more run before The Festival.
“I’m not quite sure where he would run though - there is a race for him at Warwick. There are also some other graded races, and some more low-key races, but we will see nearer the time.
“Riding him prominently made a massive difference on New Year’s Day, he is a relentless galloper and jumps very well so I think he will run a big race in the Jewson. I think riding him prominently over two and a half miles will prove to be his ideal trip. He acts well on good ground, but he would prefer a little bit of cut.”
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