Ashkazar sights on staying big gun

Ashkazar are favouring the Ladbrokes World Hurdle as his preferred Cheltenham Festival target.

The seven-year-old opened up a host of new options for trainer David Pipe and owner David Johnson when winning over three miles for the first time at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

Ashkazar was one of the outsiders that day but Johnson admits he was a little more confident of his chances.

He said: “He went off at 20-1 and I don’t have many go off at that price that I’ve fancied, but we thought we’d try stepping up in trip so David entered him over three miles.

“Timmy (Murphy) gave him a great ride, I thought the rest went off too fast and fell into our hands. It showed he stays three miles and opens a few more options for us now.

“Maybe the Pertemps Final, or even the World Hurdle as something has to be placed behind Big Buck’s.

“If we go for the Pertemps we’re going to have 12st on our backs and you’d have a pretty well-handicapped horse in the race somewhere, so the Pertemps probably wouldn’t be on the agenda.

“(In) the World Hurdle, you’re probably all running for second place and I hope Andy (Stewart, owner of Big Buck’s) wins it for the third time. There’s still places though and Martin (Pipe) told me once never to be scared of one horse,” he told At The Races.