'She's up there with the best of the British' - Jeremy Scott hoping for festival breakthrough with Golden Ace

Golden Ace will attempt to provide trainer Jeremy Scott with his breakthrough winner at the Cheltenham Festival when lining up in the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle on Thursday week.

The six-year-old, a dual winner at Taunton this year, is available at 10-1 generally for the Grade 2 contest behind Irish-trained contenders Brighterdaysahead, Jade De Grugy and Fun Fun Fun. 

Dysart Enos, the only British-trained mare ahead of her in the market, beat her in an Aintree bumper in April and Scott believes Golden Ace is up there with the best of the home contenders.

"She's got nine lengths to find with Dysart Enos but she's improved on last year and, in terms of the British contenders, I don't think she's a million miles away," said Scott. 

"I'd have loved to have had another run before Christmas for experience, but she had a little setback. I think she's up there with the best of the British entries and I'm hopeful she'll give a good account of herself."

Golden Ace scored on her first start over hurdles at Taunton in January before justifying odds-on favouritism against her own sex at the track last month under Lorcan Williams.

"Her first run was more impressive in many ways because she wasn't fully tuned up," said the Grade 1-winning trainer. "She did well to take on the boys and kept finding after the last. 

"They didn't go overly quickly last time and she was always in third gear. She's a strong traveller and her jumping is slick but she can make the odd mistake, which is my worry given her lack of experience."

Willie Mullins won the first five runnings of the Mares' Novices' Hurdle before Henry de Bromhead continued the Irish dominance with Telmesomethinggirl in 2021. However, the race has gone to British trainers in the last two years through Love Envoi and You Wear It Well, trained by Harry Fry and Jamie Snowden. 

Dashel Drasher: was second in last year's Stayers' HurdleCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Scott will also be represented on the penultimate day of the festival by veteran Dashel Drasher in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle. The 11-year-old, who finished second in the Grade 1 last season behind Sire Du Berlais, was last seen finishing fourth in Cheltenham's Cleeve Hurdle.

"I think we were lucky last year," said Scott. "The rain came and he probably coped with the ground better than a lot of them. He ran exceptionally well. Realistically, there's not a lot between him and the ones we've run against this season, but he's not quite been good enough off level weights against the likes of Paisley Park and Noble Yeats.

"He's not getting any younger so it's a tall order, but there's nowhere else to go with him. He's grand from an each-way perspective but that's probably where we are with him. The joy of jump racing is horses like him turn up every year and the public really connect with them."

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