Trainer Gary Moore has decided to send Benatar straight to the Cheltenham Festival, forgoing a chance to run the three-year-old at Kempton this Saturday.
Unbeaten in three starts over fences, the horse had been entered for the Pendil Novices’ Chase at Kempton, and for an ordinary novice chase at Fontwell on Sunday, but Moore has pulled the horse from both races.
Focusing on Benatar’s entrance to the JLT Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham will now be the only item on the agenda for Moore.
Moore said:
We’ve decided we’re going to go straight to Cheltenham. He’s a horse who likes a bit of time between his races and we just felt it was getting a bit close. That (JLT Novices’ Chase) is the plan.
Benatar had won the thrilling Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot in December, a Grade Two race where he beat favourite Finian’s Oscar – a scalp that led many to back the horse to go on to great things.
