Bard set for return

Charlie Mann hopes to get stable star Keltic Bard back on track in the New Year with a view to a tilt at the Cheltenham Festival’s Ryanair Chase.

A smart novice two seasons ago boasting good victories at Aintree and Ayr, the gelding suffered a setback and was not seen out during the last campaign.

“He’ll be back in two weeks and has done his roadwork,” said Mann. “I’d say he’ll be out at the beginning of January over two and a half or three miles.

“He beat Thisthatandtother at Ayr and the race at Cheltenham looks ideal for him. He got a ‘leg’, which a lot of them do, but he’ll be back.”