Nicky Henderson’s Divine Spear hoping to make Cheltenham Festival handicap cut

IMPRESSIVE Ascot winner Divine Spear is likely to be aimed at the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Nicky Henderson's seven-year-old has made a superb start to his chasing career, winning at Catterick and Ascot, and is set to have one more run en route to his likely target in March.

1

His latest success was particularly convincing and saw him take a prominent position in the ante-post market for the final race of Cheltenham's opening day, a contest that is notoriously difficult to make the cut for.

Tom Palin, National Hunt manager for owners Middleham Park Racing, said: "The manner of his victory at Ascot was impressive and it was a bit of surprise he did that on only his second start over fences. It was lovely to see.

MOST READ

LING STING

'Completely clueless' - Ex-jockey blasted after 'unbelievable' Lingfield race

LO BLOW

Punters want lifetime ban as 'disgusting' footage shows jockey hit horse in face

TEMPLEGATE'S TIPS

My pick can win for the first time since claiming the 2021 Hennessy

HORSE POWER

Get £30 in free bets for horse racing when you stake £10 with talkSPORT BET

"He came out of the race fine. We gave him Christmas off and we're not in a frantic hurry to get him out again.

"We've just started building him up again and we'll probably try to find something for him at the end of January into early February.

"He's got to go once more if we're going to for the novices' handicap chase at Cheltenham. There's a Grade Two over two and a half miles at Haydock on January 20 we might look at.

Templegate's Treble

NAP 2.15 Bangor - Uppertown Prince: 'Impressive winner here on his hurdle debut and should appreciate this trip

NEXT BEST 4.35 Wolverhampton - Babette: 'The drop back in trip can spark a revival from her'

TREBLE 4.20 Newcastle - Pudding Chare: 'Running into form and has every chance'

"After his win at Ascot we are thinking of possibly setting our sights a bit higher. I don't think we'll be giving him an entry in the JLT, but there might be something further down the line, a Grade One at Aintree (the Manifesto Novices' Chase) we'll have half an eye on if he was to impress next time.

"It's a little up in the air what we do. If Aintree comes too early, he could be a Punchestown horse. We'll see."