Ben Pauling weighing up Cheltenham option for easy Kempton winner Global Citizen
Global Citizen, who won impressively at Kempton on Saturday, is unlikely to run in the Imperial Cup at Sandown but could take up his option of running in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
BEN PAULING is keeping his plans open for Global Citizen following his facile victory at Kempton on Saturday.
Prior to his demolition job in the Grade 2 Dovecote Novices' Hurdle, the five-year-old had an official mark of 130 and held entries in the Matchbook Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle at Sandown and the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Ben Pauling could run Global Citizen in the County HurdlePauling has reiterated that Global Citizen is unlikely to run in the feature race at Sandown on March 10, for which some bookmakers have made him as short as 6/1 favourite.
Although plans remain fluid, Pauling is leaning towards a tilt at the Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on March 16 instead if the trainer deems the new mark given to his charge to be acceptable.
Pauling said: "He is unlikely to go for the Imperial Cup. I think we will probably look at the County Hurdle next but our main aim is the two-mile Grade One (Top) novice at Aintree.
"We will see what the handicapper does on Tuesday but I don't think we will be looking at both the Imperial Cup and the County Hurdle.
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"I think he is a lovely novice and we will not be pushing him to the limit. I think we would be mad to rule out Cheltenham at this moment in time.
"I have a mark in my head what he will be well handicapped off so we will see what we get on Tuesday. I've spoken to the yard this morning and he appears to be well and good."