Fenton looks to Casper for festival first
Former champion Irish amateur Philip Fenton saddles his first runners at Cheltenham next week as he begins his quest to add a training success to that as a jockey.
The Tipperary-based handler partnered Loving Around to victory in the 1996 National Hunt Chase and is in his third full season as a trainer.
He rates Shirley Casper in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper as his best chance of glory among his small team of runners, his first at the Festival.
The six-year-old mare, a 25-1 chance for, has won her last two starts at Fairyhouse and Navan.
"She did her last piece of work at the Curragh on Wednesday and it was very satisfactory," Fenton said.
"We also have Woodbine Willie in the race, but won't make a final decision on his participation until later this week.
"Shirley Casper has had plenty of time to recover from her last race and we were delighted with her performance. It was very heavy at Navan that day and better ground would suit her. I would say that she has improved with every run and we are hoping for a big run at Cheltenham.
"I would say she would be my best chance. She's a classy mare, who travels very well in her races, and it could just fall into place for her."
Fenton also plans to saddle Arrive Sir Clive, third to Aran Concerto in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle, and Vic Venturi, who chased home Mister Top Notch in the Dr P J Moriarty Novice Chase.
"Arrive Sir Clive is going for the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle - unfortunately he has to go and take on Aran Concerto again," he said.
"He looks like a future three-mile chaser and we'll be happy to be back at the Festival next year for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase.
"It was not a proper run race last time. He lost some momentum after Catch Me knocked him when unseating at the second last and he could not get back into the race after that.
"Cheltenham will suit this horse, as will the step up in trip, but there is no reason to think we can turn the tables with Aran Concerto.
"Vic Venturi had very solid form - he has only finished out of the first three once in his career - but we always had it in the back of our minds that we might need to sort his wind out. He had an operation in December and he ran a great race on his first run back, staying on well at Leopardstown behind Mister Top Notch.
"He bounced out of his last race brilliantly - better than I thought he would. We have still not decided which race he will go for but I might just be favouring the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase ahead of the Royal & SunAlliance Chase.
"These last couple of weeks have been a bit nervy - you are just waiting for the big day to arrive - but it is very exciting and we are going across the water with horses that deserve to take their chances.
"Riding a winner at Cheltenham was fantastic satisfaction. To ride a winner at Cheltenham is most jockeys' dream. Now I would love to get into that winner's enclosure as a trainer."
