Wincanton still in the running for Golden Ace

The Kingwell Hurdle remains possible for Golden Ace again as she prepares to defend her Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham in March.

Jeremy Scott’s star mare took the premier hurdle event of the term last season, coming home nine lengths to the good as both Constitution Hill and State Man came to grief.

The bay has upheld that form continually since, finishing second in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle to cap last season and winning the Fighting Fifth on her second run of the season this time around.

On Boxing Day she was second to Sir Gino in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, and may now head for Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton to replicate the same preparation she had before Cheltenham last year.

“We’re very happy with her, she’s had a mini break and now she’s back in full work taking everything nicely,” said Scott.

“The plan is still maybe to go to the Kingwell, and if not we’ll go straight to the Champion Hurdle.

“We took the Kingwell route last year and if we felt she needed the run then that’s where we’d go, but it’s not the primary objective of course.”

The Champion Hurdle picture changed on Trials day when Sir Gino was pulled up with an injury that would see him miss the rest of the season at the least, and Scott expects to have a clearer idea about Golden Ace’s rivals after the Dublin Racing Festival over the weekend.

“There’s a real tragedy, I feel desperately sorry for Nicky (Henderson) and the owners,” he said of Sir Gino’s setback.

“The Dublin Racing Festival will tell us more about what will be running, so I think it’ll be really interesting to see how the field forms after that.”