New team push on with Festival prep

The Nigel Twiston-Davies stable is keen to get on with the work of preparing The New One for the Stan James Champion Hurdle and put aside his unimpressive victory at Haydock on Saturday.

Bookmakers pushed The New One out to around 3-1 in the ante-post market for the showpiece on day one of the Cheltenham Festival on March 10 after he made hard work of beating Bertimont by two and a quarter lengths in the StanJames.com Champion Hurdle Trial on Merseyside.

The New One clearly ran below his best and must up his game when he attempts to improve on this third 12 months ago as Britain’s leading Champion hope will face stiff opposition from Ireland in the shape of ante-post favourite Faugheen as well as past winners Jezki and Hurricane Fly.