Shantou Village may get step up in Cheltenham Festival trip
Mulholland explained that if the ground is good he would be tempted to try the six-year-old over three miles for the first time in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, as opposed to running him in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle.
After winning his sole bumper start and first two starts over hurdles, the former point-to-point winner tasted the first defeat of his career last time out when finding only Yanworth too good in a Grade Two contest at the track in January.
Mulholland said: “Shantou Village is fine at home, we are just sitting tight with him because of the ground.
“If it was good ground on the first day of the Festival, then we would definitely look at the Albert Bartlett as I think it may make more sense to go there.”
While ground is likely to dictate which race Shantou Village runs in, the former jockey has a much clearer idea as to what race Grade Two-winning novice chaser Southfield Royale is set to contest at the showpiece meeting.
He said: “Southfield Royale is in both the RSA and the National Hunt Chase. The four-miler (National Hunt Chase) is the plan for him.”
Meanwhile, Shane Crawley is happy to skip Cheltenham with Cashelard Lady in favour of a crack at the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday.
The six-year-old boasts two wins in nine starts so far, but those bare numbers do not really do her justice as she has clashed with two of this season’s rising stars in Augusta Kate and Limini.
Cashelard Lady was beaten seven lengths by Augusta Kate in a Navan bumper back in November while Limini proved 11 lengths too good in a Grade Three hurdle at Fairyhouse in January.
The Key Of Luck mare notched a 39-length maiden hurdle victory in between those two defeats and Crawley feels Fairyhouse is the logical option for his charge.
He said: “Cashelard Lady is entered in the Grade One novices’ hurdle at Fairyhouse on March 27 and that would be the plan.
“She’s not going to Cheltenham. Looking at the Cheltenham race, I thought we’d be looking at second place at best, so I just thought it would be better to stay local and be placed in a Grade One than go to Cheltenham and be placed in a Grade Two.”
