Cheltenham Festival News

Cheltenham Festival contender Grandouet needs to prove to his trainer Nicky Henderson that he has a genuine chance next March by featuring heavily in the StanJames.com International Hurdle on Saturday.

The four year old gelding finished third in The Triumph Hurdle last March and was very impressive at Haydock last month, but Henderson is still not convinced that he has a genuine chance at The Gold Cup meeting next year.

He said: “Of course he handles Cheltenham, we know that, but there are certain indications to me that he is possibly better on speedier tracks.

He showed improvement at Haydock and there is every chance that he will build on that run, but this is his chance to show what he can do at Cheltenham.

It’s better to find out now so that if we think he’s not quite suited, we can plan a campaign that bypasses the Cheltenham Festival.”

Another Cheltenham Festival favourite with the punters Albertas Run, arguably the best runner in Jonjo O’Neill’s yard and one of two winners for the champion jockey, Tony McCoy, at the Cheltenham Festival last March, may have run his last race.

Jonjo has said that he has not given up hope that his stable star will attempt to win the Ryanair Trophy for the third year running, next March, but warned that a recent setback might spell the end of the gelding’s career.

Albertas Run suffered an injury to a suspensory ligament shortly before he was due to run in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park last month but is now back in light exercise as his trainer tries to get him ready for the spring festivals at Cheltenham and at Aintree, where he also won a Grade One event last season.

Tickets and hospitality packages for the Cheltenham Gold Cup meeting are now available. Click the link for full details.

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