Hunters Call to head straight to the Cheltenham Festival reports trainer Olly Murphy

ASCOT winner Hunters Call is likely to head straight to the County Hurdle.

Trainer Olly Murphy is set to send him straight to the Cheltenham Festival after his win in the valuable Racing Welfare Handicap Hurdle last month.

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Murphy said: "All being well, Hunters Call will head straight to the Cheltenham Festival.

"He will have an entry in the Betfair, but he has gone up another 9lb and it is not easy to win two big handicaps let alone three and while the Betfair has great prize money, there is only one Cheltenham Festival.

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"I just feel if he ran well at Newbury and went up another 5lb or 6lb, it would hinder our chances of having a horse with a live chance at the Cheltenham Festival.

"He will have entries in the Coral Cup, Martin Pipe and County Hurdle and we will make a plan nearer the time.

"I would certainly not be worried about stepping him up in trip. It would be looking more likely that he'll go for the County.

"There are lots of options at Cheltenham and I will sit down with the owners and discuss things over the next six weeks."