Aintree could be far target

Far Pavilions completed a hat-trick in impressive fashion in the Forth One Radio Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle at Musselburgh but now looks set to sidestep the Cheltenham Festival.

The Alan Swinbank-trained gelding is an entry for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the three-day meeting but his handler is not keen on a tilt at the two-mile event.

He said: “I don’t think he will go to Cheltenham.

“I think Aintree will suit him better but first we will run him in the Victor Ludorum at Haydock in two weeks time – I think he gets only one penalty for that - he has done everything we have asked of him and will go back on the Flat later on.”

British Horseracing Board chairman Peter Savill was on hand to watch his homebred mare Nobratinetta win the Doncaster Bloodstock Sales/EBF Mares’ Only Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Qualifier).

The four-year-old, who is trained by Mary Reveley ran out an impressive winner in the hands of Tony Dobbin and Savill is now looking forward to a trip to Cheltenham in April.

He said: “She will now run in the final of this race at Cheltenham on April 17. We won’t give her another race before then.

“It was worth coming for this one today as it was a £4,000 (€6,000)-added race.

“I think that was a good performance. The second (Squeeze Box) was strongly fancied.”