Champion hurdle plan for Shakespeare

Royal Shakespeare, narrowly beaten at the Punchestown Festival this week, will be aimed at the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next March.

The Steve Gollings-trained five-year-old lost his unbeaten record over jumps when beaten a short head by Brave Inca in the Grade One Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle on Tuesday.

Royal Shakespeare will now be turned away for the summer.

Gollings said: “His preparation will be straightforward. He’ll come back as late as we can leave him this summer to let him strengthen up a bit more.

“His plans will be very direct. He will have a very light campaign, maybe a spin around the Christmas period and in the spring, and then he will go straight for the Champion Hurdle.

“He might have one run or maybe two, it just depends how his training goes - and on the weather, of course.”

Royal Shakespeare is a 20-1 chance with Coral for the Champion Hurdle.