'The Stayers' Hurdle would suit me' - Keith Donoghue hopeful of Grade 1 target for festival star Flooring Porter

Keith Donoghue hopes his bid for a first Graded success at the Cheltenham Festival will come at the highest level after claiming his preference for the Stayers' Hurdle for two-time winner Flooring Porter. 

The County Meath jockey has partnered the nine-year-old for all three of his starts over fences this season but is eager to see the festival winner revert to hurdles for an "open enough" contest in the Grade 1 feature on Thursday, for which he is currently best-priced at 33-1. 

While trainer Gavin Cromwell currently favours sending his stable star to the National Hunt Chase, where he is 7-1 with Paddy Power, Donoghue hopes the Cheltenham regular can make another appearance in the Stayers' Hurdle following victories in the race in 2021 and 2022. 

"It's still up in the air but he's in good form at home," Donoghue told Racing Post's Cheltenham Festival Preview Show. "I'd say Gavin will leave it down to the last minute before deciding what race he goes for.

"The National Hunt Chase does look like a hot race this year, with the likes of Embassy Gardens going for it, so he might have to improve a little bit for that, while you could say the Stayers' Hurdle is open enough bar Teahupoo, Irish Point and Crambo. 

"I'll leave that decision up to Gavin but the Stayers' Hurdle would suit me better. I do all the race planning with Gavin and I have a good input, but Gavin is clever enough to know when I'm doing it for myself, so I'll sit back and let Gavin decide because he knows which one I want." 

While Donoghue is yet to claim a Graded win at the Cheltenham Festival he is no stranger to success at the meeting, having added to his hat-trick of victories on Tiger Roll in the Glenfarclas Chase with victory on the Gordon Elliott-trained Delta Work last year. 

Keith Donoghue with five-time Cheltenham Festival winner Tiger Roll Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Donoghue is likely to pick up another ride in the cross-country contest for Elliott, who has won five of the last seven runnings, but will also make use of his valuable team up with Cromwell for several strong rides at the meeting, including on possible Grand Annual runner My Mate Mozzie. 

"We're leaning towards the Grand Annual with him but we'll see closer to the time what makes it to the Arkle, because that could cut up," Donoghue said. 

"We were delighted with his run at Christmas and I think the Grand Annual could suit him. In the Grand Annual we will need a little bit of luck on our side but he'd run off 146, so he could have a nice weight and it could be the one to go for, whereas he might only get placed in the Arkle."

Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 14)

Paddy Power: 3-1 Teahupoo, 7-2 Irish Point, 7 Crambo, 8 Noble Yeats, 10 Sir Gerhard, Monkfish, Flooring Porter, 14 Paisley Park, 16 Sire Du Berlais, 25 bar

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