Ahoy Senor still has Cheltenham on the agenda despite Bravemansgame reverse

Promising novice chaser Ahoy Senor remains on course for the Cheltenham Festival despite his defeat on Sunday and could warm up with a run at Wetherby in February.

Lucinda Russell believes her young star was not suited by the track when beaten by Bravemansgame in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton and is still eyeing the Festival Novices' Chase with the six-year-old, who won a Grade 2 race at Newbury by 31 lengths last month.

Ahoy Senor was beaten seven and a half lengths, but Russell said: "You can't expect to win every time. I see that he got the same RPR in that race as he did when he won the Sefton at Aintree last April, that goes to show it was a really good run.

"What's exciting is we've got improvement in him, if we can tighten his jumping up and get him back on a galloping track. Kempton suited the winner more than us."

Ahoy Senor is a best-priced 10-1 for the Festival Novices' Chase, in which Galopin Des Champs displaced Bravemansgame as favourite with an impressive victory at Leopardstown on Tuesday.

"He's come out of the race fine and he's back in light exercise," Russell added. "We could look at the Towton Novices' Chase at Wetherby in February, that would give him enough time before Cheltenham, and the track would suit him."

Scottish Grand National winner Mighty Thunder could bid to repeat last season's success in the Edinburgh National at Musselburgh after being pulled up in the Welsh equivalent at Chepstow on Monday.

"It was the ground," Russell said.

"Derek Fox said he was never really travelling on it, although any time he hit the better ground he got back on terms with them. Hopefully it won't be like that next time he runs, he could go back to Musselburgh for the Edinburgh National."

Festival Novices' Chase
bet365: 7-4 Galopin Des Champs, 100-30 Bravemansgame, 10 Ahoy Senor, 12 bar

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