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Relkeel winner Agrapart all set for Stayers' Hurdle tilt

3 minute read

Agrapart is set to step up to three miles in the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but may not run again before the big meeting in March.

Agrapart(Left) winning the Betfair Hurdle (Grade 3 Handicap)
Agrapart(Left) winning the Betfair Hurdle (Grade 3 Handicap) Picture: RacingandSports

The six-year-old propelled himself into the Cheltenham reckoning when beating L'Ami Serge by a head in the Relkeel Hurdle over an extended two and a half miles on New Year's Day.

Winner of the Betfair Hurdle over two miles at Newbury last year, Agrapart is now due to take another hike in distance.

Trainer Nick Williams said: "He has got a Stayers' Hurdle entry. We are going up in trip. We probably won't see him until then. If I have my way he won't run again before the Stayers' Hurdle."

Williams also confirmed Tea For Two, who is entered in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup, is set to be seen next at Exeter after finishing fourth of five runners in the King George VI Chase.

He added: "Tea For Two goes to Exeter in the middle of February for one of those three-mile conditions races."

One Track Mind will have his chasing career put on hold until next season in order for him to have a shot at the Stayers' Hurdle.

Plans are in place to give the seven-year-old an outing in next month's Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock before tackling the Grade One contest.

After landing a Grade One at Punchestown on his last start over hurdles in April - a race which could again be on the agenda in the spring - the Warren Greatrex-trained One Track Mind has failed to inspire in both of his starts over fences this season.

Greatrex said: "He is going to stay hurdling from now on. He will go to the Rendlesham. We are not going to gain anything by carrying on novice chasing now and it means next year we can start off afresh.

"He was second in the Rendlesham Hurdle last year and there is every chance he is a better horse now.

"He has been entered in the Stayers' but if he didn't get over the Rendlesham in time he would go straight to Punchestown again for the same race he won last year.

"He seems fine and we will play it by ear. It has disappointed me that he hasn't done it over fences as he is a horse I was excited about running over fences."

The Upper Lambourn handler could give recent Chepstow winner Shantou Bob an outing at Cheltenham later this month by stepping him up in class for the Cleeve Hurdle.

Greatrex said: "He went up 9lb and is on a rating of 146. He still has plenty to find, obviously, but he was my best novice two seasons ago. He has had his injury problems.

"If the Cleeve came up soft he would run a big race. He seems in great form and in very good nick.

"The Rendlesham could be a possibility, although I'm not totally convinced that Haydock will suit him, but he is a high-class horse.

"He's in the Pertemps. We've already qualified for that, but he deserves to have a crack at a big one and then we will know where we are. He is in the Stayers' Hurdle."


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