3 minute read
Despite his recent setback, Arkle Trophy winner Edwardstone is still well on course for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, for which he is still vying for market favouritism with Energumene.
Speaking at Hereford on Wednesday afternoon, trainer Alan King said, "Edwardstone is all good. He will go back into strong work next week."
The nine-year-old has won six of his 11 starts over fences, and just failed to catch Editeur Du Gite in the rescheduled Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham last month, but King feels that he may have been suffering from a bruised foot during that race.
He added: "He was very lame the next morning, so whether he was feeling it even then. I thought after the last he'd go away and win.
"I was surprised, because usually he finishes a race so well. Look, we'll see, but he's fine again anyway."
Meanwhile, King has decided to take a patient approach with Favour And Fortune, who remained unbeaten after taking a Warwick bumper with ease on Saturday.
The five-year-old Soldier Of Fortune gelding followed up his impressive Southwell debut success with a seven-and-a-half-length defeat of Alright Dai and could potentially head to the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.
Running in the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings, he looked a smart performer under Tom Bellamy and King will consider him for the big National Hunt Flat race on March 15.
"Favour and Fortune will have an entry at Cheltenham and if he didn't go there, he'd go to Aintree," said King.
"He is a horse we like a lot. He ran well at Warwick. He is festival bound, but we don't know where. We will definitely put him in the Champion Bumper."
Elsewhere, Messire Des Obeaux, who rolled back the years when also scoring at Warwick in a two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase on the same card, has taken his race well.
The 11-year-old, making his first start for 385 days, had a neck to spare over Knight In Dubai, staying on strongly in the closing stages.
King will be in no rush with him, however. He said: "Messire Des Obeaux will tell me when he's ready.
"He always takes a wee bit of time to get over a run, so I will just see what there is. Obviously, he needs the weather to change as well. The ground has gone for the minute.
"It was a nice race to win the other day, so there is no panic. Even in his younger days, he always took a few weeks to get over his runs. He puts a lot into it."
"I was surprised, because usually he finishes a race so well. Look, we'll see, but he's fine again anyway."
