Warren Greatrex is no stranger to big-race success at the Cheltenham Festival after he saddled Cole Harden to victory in the 2015 Stayers’ Hurdle and he again looks to have a strong battalion readied for this year’s Festival which includes the aforementioned Cole Harden, Western Ryder (Champion Bumper) and Keeper Hill (Neptune). However, Greatrex identified Trull House Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle contender La Bague Au Roi as his best chance at the Cheltenham Festival.
The six-year-old daughter of Doctor Dino was a very smart bumper performer last season, winning her first three starts under rules which included a five-length win in a Listed event at Huntingdon before finishing a 19-length seventh at Aintree’s Grand National Festival in a Grade Two Mares bumper.
The French-bred mare has continued on an upward curve this season, winning her maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter in October by seven lengths before scoring by five lengths at Wetherby in novice hurdle company in November. Greatrex’s mare enhanced her Cheltenham Festival credentials with a three and a quarter-length victory at Newbury in November in a Listed Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle which had Copper Kay and Happy Diva in behind, all of whom have won since. La Bague Au Roi has not run since that event and looks to have been kept fresh for the Mares’ Novice Hurdle on the Thursday of the Festival, for which she is a general 5/1 shot.
Lambourn handler Greatrex sounded bullish about the mares chances and commented: “I’d say La Bague Au Roi is my best chance going there as everything we have asked her to do she has done easily. You just wouldn’t know how good she might be yet.
I’d purposefully given her a mid-winter break. She hasn’t run since November, but she appears to have strengthened up for her time off.”
Greatrex took his Cheltenham battalion to Newbury last weekend for a gallop and was pleased with how his string came out of that. The trainer reflecting on the gallop said: “It all went very well. There were no problems with the horses, only the weather – it was a filthy morning.
“We took half a dozen of the Cheltenham horses. La Bague Au Roi actually worked with Keeper Hill and while I’ve always thought she didn’t want it soft, she went through it very nicely.
“Western Ryder (Bumper) didn’t need to work. He’ll do his last piece at home, but he looks to have improved again since his last race. I think the hurly-burly of the race and the track will suit him.
“Cole Harden also went, but sloshing through mud has never really been his thing. In saying that, he seemed to really enjoy it and he came back very fresh.”
A decision on whether Sidney Banks victor Keeper Hill will head for the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival will also be made this week.
