Options open for Dancing Bay

Dancing Bay is likely to bypass Ascot on Saturday in favour of a trip to either Uttoxeter or Ireland.

The seven-year-old holds an entry in the victorchandler.co.uk Handicap Hurdle at the Berkshire track but the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle at Uttoxeter on the same day or the Pierse Hurdle a day later at Leopardstown are the more likely options.

Matthew Budden, racing manager for owners Elite Racing, said today: “At the moment it’s probably going to be between Ireland and Uttoxeter.

“We will see what the races look like, how they shape up, what his final weight would be and then make a decision.”

At present, Dancing Bay, who made a winning reappearance at Hexham last month, has 11st 9lb at Uttoxeter, while at Leopardstown he could race with 10st 12lb in a contest worth 130,000 euros.

The Nicky Henderson-trained gelding would carry at least 11st 8lb at Ascot and Budden thinks the going would not necessarily suit him.

“He’d be unlikely to go to Ascot unless there was a lot of rain as he really does like genuinely soft ground,” he added.

“We haven’t got as far as discussing jockeys yet but Mick Fitzgerald or Andrew Tinkler would be likely to ride him as they’ve both won on him before.”

A winner of five races on the Flat, Dancing Bay has won three starts over hurdles, including his success last time.

“He’s in very good form and we were pleased with his comeback run at Hexham - he seems to have improved again,” Budden said.

“We would really have liked to have given him another run after Christmas but we couldn’t find suitable ground anywhere.”