James Owen excited for Grade 1 challenge as Burdett Road set to miss Ascot in favour of Christmas Hurdle

James Owen is ready to roll the dice with Burdett Road and skip Ascot on Saturday in favour of taking on the very best in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on December 26.

A winner of the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, the four-year-old was a general 7-1 shot for the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle at Ascot this weekend, but Owen is prepared to throw his seven-time winner into Grade 1 company for the first time.

In doing so, Burdett Road could bump into Constitution Hill, who remains on course for his long-awaited return for Nicky Henderson, and Hatton's Grace heroine Lossiemouth, who took her record to nine wins from ten starts with a dominant victory at Fairyhouse this month.

Owen said: "It'll be a strong race but we'll see where we are with him. We'd rather find out where we are with him now rather than waiting until Cheltenham, so it'll be exciting to go there.

"They're not all going to line up, but I'm sure there will be a couple of good ones. For us to be running in a Grade 1 over Christmas time is perfect and we'll look forward to it."

Constitution Hill: Christmas Hurdle would mark long-awaited returnCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Owned by the Gredley family, Burdett Road's half-a-length victory over Be Aware was only the fourth time he has raced over hurdles, but he registered a third win in that sphere having landed the Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham last season.

His sole defeat over hurdles came to Sir Gino in January, but Owen has reported his star to be ready for his Grade 1 crack.

He added: "He's in good form and has come out of Cheltenham well – I couldn't be happier with him."

Stablemate Opec is expected to be in action over the Christmas period, in the Grade 2 Finale Hurdle at Chepstow on December 27.

An eight-length winner in a Listed Fillies' contest at Newbury last month, the three-year-old goes in search of a four-timer for the yard.

"She's exciting," said Owen. "She's in great form, she's training well and she handles a bit of soft ground, so that shouldn't be a problem. She also gets the fillies' allowance, which is nice, and she should be four from four."

Owen was unable to register a winner at Cheltenham's Christmas meeting, with Lavender Hill Mob and Ambiente Amigo finishing fourth and fifth respectively in the Triumph Hurdle trial and Sweet Fantasy sixth in a mares' handicap hurdle.

He added: "I was a bit disappointing with Lavender Hill Mob. On a whole he jumped better bar than making a mistake at the last, but it's back to the drawing board a little bit with him. We'll probably run him somewhere in January to see where we are with him."

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