'It's not all about Cheltenham, is it?' - Ascot Chase among options for L'Homme Presse before Gold Cup says Venetia Williams

Venetia Williams has not ruled out L'Homme Presse running before the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup in March after being pleased with the way he emerged from winning the Cotswold Chase. 

Connections were keen to have a second tilt at the Gold Cup after the ten-year-old fended off Stage Star at Cheltenham on January 25 but, according to his trainer, that does not prevent his running before next month's festival. 

"He's come out of the Cotswold really well," said Williams. "I was thrilled with him at Cheltenham and it was nice to see him going away at the line."

L'Homme Presse, who runs for Peter and Patricia Pink, Andy Edwards and Pam Sharman, was second in the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase before finishing fourth to Galopin Des Champs in last season's Gold Cup, and Williams confirmed the same race at Ascot on February 15 was among the possibilities before March. 

L'Homme Presse (left): defeated Stage Star to win the Cotswold Chase Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"He might have a run in between and there are one or two possibilities," she added. "Ascot is obviously one of the options and hopefully we'll have the opportunity to run him between now and the festival."

L'Homme Presse is rated between 16-1 and 25-1 by bookmakers for the Gold Cup but Williams can see no reason why running before the festival would damage those odds.

She said: "He's a veteran now who hasn't had a lot of racing and it's not all about Cheltenham, is it?"

The trainer also had news on dual Betfair Chase winner Royale Pagaille, who was pulled up in the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase last month. Williams said he is a "possible" to return to Haydock for the Grand National Trial on the same day as the Ascot Chase. 

Owned by Rich and Susannah Ricci, Royale Pagaille is a general 66-1 shot for April's Randox Grand National at Aintree.

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