Dublin Racing Festival option for 'visually very good' Champion Bumper prospect

Creativity may be required for the connections of Champion Bumper hope Sandor Clegane, with trainer Paul Nolan revealing he does not want to risk his exciting youngster on anything other than soft ground at the Dublin Racing Festival.

A hugely impressive winner of a Punchestown bumper last month, Sandor Clegane can be backed at 25-1 for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.

The Grade 2 bumper at Leopardstown on February 5 has been put forward as the most obvious place for Sandor Clegane to run before Cheltenham but, with no sign of a bleak forecast and doubts about the track's approach to watering, Nolan has raised the prospect of taking in a schooling bumper instead.

Dublin Racing Festival: big-race entries

Nolan said: “He will get an entry for the Grade 2 bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival. The only other winners' bumper between now and Cheltenham is at Naas on February 27 and that would be a bit too close to Cheltenham.

"He won't run at Leopardstown unless the ground is on the softer side and, looking at the forecast, you'd have to say that is unlikely, so we'll just have to see closer to the time.

“Ideally, I'd like to get another run into him before Cheltenham but, if we don't get our ground at Leopardstown, we could always go for a schooling bumper or a racecourse gallop. We'll have to get more experience into him.”

Mrs Milner: last year's winner of the Pertemps Hurdle 'will go straight to the Mares' Hurdle'Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Sandor Clegane popped his head above the parapet just when Nolan needed a good horse most. The stable were still numb over losing Grade 1 winner Latest Exhibition in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle when, in winning at Punchestown, Sandor Clegane announced himself as a bright prospect for everyone at Toberona Stables.

Nolan said: “I was impressed by him at Punchestown. On the work that we bought him off, it was very good, and the style of that win was good to my eye as well.

"Of course, it looked an ordinary bumper on paper, but the manner in which he went to the line... if he had continued around the corner he'd have been a furlong clear of them.

“He went through the line strong and that's always a good sign. Visually, it was a very good performance and I'm hopeful that he's up to the standard required in the Champion Bumper.”

Daily Present, who won his maiden hurdle in good style at Fairyhouse on Saturday, could join Sandor Clegane on the lorry to Cheltenham and could run in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle. Last season’s Pertemps winner Mrs Milner and juvenile HMS Seahorse also have festival targets.

Nolan said: “Daily Present will get an entry in the Albert Bartlett. He was very good at Fairyhouse and the owners would love to dream about having a Cheltenham winner, so he'll go there. Mrs Milner will go straight to the Mares' Hurdle and we're hoping HMS Seahorse will get into the Boodles.”

Champion Bumper

bet365: 3 American Mike, 7-2 Facile Vega, 6 Redemption Day, 12 Pink In The Park, The Big Doyen, 14 The Nice Guy, 16 bar

Read these next:

'He's improved since Ascot' - German Champion Bumper hope set for Lingfield test

Paul Townend in town for start of new Winter Million at Lingfield

For all our exclusive free bet offers and must-have daily promotions click the free bets button or go to racingpost.com/freebets