THE CHELTENHAM Festival may be three long months away but jumping's showpiece meeting was firmly in the thoughts of two winning trainers at Bangor yesterday.
David Gandolfo pronounced Around The Gale as "definitely a Cheltenham horse" after his five-year-old easily notched his second success from three starts over fences under Richard Dunwoody in the St Helens Ford Novices' Chase.
"I am not a great fan of the three-miler so the Cat heart has to be a possibility for him," revealed Gandolfo, who plans to give Around The Gale another race over the Christmas period before making firm plans for his smart chasing recruit.
Nigel Twiston-Davies was also pencilling in a visit to the Festival for Freddie Muck after the progressive six-year-old had registered his third win of the season in the Astbury Wren Handicap Hurdle.
"I would like to get him qualified for the Gold Card Final and there are qualifiers coming up at Wincanton and Warwick," said Twiston-Davies after seeing Carl Llewellyn bring home Freddie Muck three and a half lengths clear of long-time leader Yes Man.
Nahthen Lad, winner of last season's Sun Alliance Chase at the Festival, failed to cover himself in glory on his comeback race over hurdles and was beaten no less than 26 lengths by Freddie Muck as he crossed the line sixth of the seven runners.
Mark Pitman, representing his mother Jenny, put on a brave face and refused to rule Nahthen Lad out of next week's King George VI Chase at Kempton.
"He will come on a lot for the race, so we will keep our options open. If he comes out bouncing in the morning and does well afterwards, there is every chance he will run at Kempton. If he doesn't, then he won't," said Pit man.
Llewellyn followed up his win on Freddie Muck by completing a 23 to 1 double on Distinctive in the Clwyd Handicap Chase. The winner had luck on his side because he was two lengths down when Sister Rosza and Rodney Farrant crashed at the final fence.
Meanwhile, Grooving looked a potentially smart recruit to the fencing ranks when gaining a dramatic victory at rain-sodden Exeter. Making handsome amends for falling on his chasing debut, the Philip Hide-ridden seven-year-old just got up in the dying strides to deny Court Master by a head in the Childcraft Novices' Chase.
Winning trainer Josh Gifford was "at the dentist" according to his assistant Anton Pearson and missed the victory. However he would not have seen much as the course was shrouded in fog for the event.
"You couldn't see much but he seemed to jump well and he wants this softish ground and we hope he could be a Cheltenham horse come next March." said Peason.
"He was a decent hurdler last season and we fancied him for the Tote Gold Trophy at Newbury but he wasn't right. The Sun Alliance Chase at the Festival could be his target but we'll be wiser after his next run," he added.
Favourite Kimanicky, a smart novice hurdler last term, was disappointingly pulled up, but jockey Mick Fitzgerald explained: "He jumped well but he got tired as he hates this soft ground and I pulled him up rather than put him on the floor."
