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Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham target confirmed for impressive Trials day winner Sixmilebridge as Fergal O'Brien eyes breakthrough festival win

Sixmilebridge: looks set to contest the Turners Novices' Hurdle
Sixmilebridge: looks set to contest the Turners Novices' HurdleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Fergal O'Brien believes Sixmilebridge can finally be his breakthrough Cheltenham Festival hero, with the ultra-impressive Trials day winner set to strengthen Britain's hand in the Turners Novices' Hurdle.

The six-year-old completed a hat-trick in fine style when easily dispatching Formby Novices' Hurdle winner Potters Charm by eight and a half lengths in the Grade 2 Ais Novices' Hurdle. That triumph saw him cut to a general 16-1 for the Turners but he is as short as 10-1 with Sky Bet.

Sixmilebridge is also in the curtain-raising Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the festival, but O'Brien is favouring a clash a day later against fellow star British novice The New Lion in the 2m5f Grade 1.

"We'll leave him in the Supreme but the obvious race for him is the Turners," O'Brien said. "He went to the festival for the Champion Bumper with Ben Pauling last year but didn't really handle the occasion, but we feel he'll fare much better with it all now.

"We're really looking forward to it now and hope we can get him there in one piece, especially as that festival winner is the one thing we want to get under our belt."

Fergal O'Brien:
Fergal O'Brien: trainer of SixmilebridgeCredit: Steve Davies

O'Brien's other flagbearer and two-time Long Walk Hurdle winner Crambo disappointed 35 minutes before Sixmilebridge's heroics when fifth in the Cleeve Hurdle. He is not certain to line up in the Stayers' Hurdle, for which he is 33-1.

"I'd love to be able to talk to Crambo and figure out whether he likes Cheltenham," the trainer said. "We'll discuss with his owners where we want to go next as it might be that he's just not as comfortable at Cheltenham as elsewhere. 

"He doesn't seem to have that same spark there and we need to find that sparkle he shows in the Long Walk again."

Next month's Kingwell Hurdle is the likely target for high-class mare Dysart Enos.


Turners Novices' Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 12)
Ladbrokes:
5-2 The New Lion, 8 Kopek Des Bordes, The Yellow Clay, 10 Final Demand, 12 Kawaboomga, 14 Kaid D'Authie, 16 Kiss Will, Potters Charm, Romeo Coolio, Sixmilebridge, 20 bar


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'Triumph Hurdle looks extremely strong' says Keith Donoghue - but jockey hopeful Hello Neighbour can boost Cheltenham claims at DRF 

Major form boosts for top Irish novice hurdlers - plus why the Stayers' Hurdle is more open than it looks 


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