Alexei could divert from Ascot to test Grade One credentials

Joe Tizzard is weighing up a tilt at Kempton’s Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle with Greatwood winner Alexei, given the open look to the two-mile hurdling division.

Dan Skelton confirmed The New Lion would skip the Boxing Day Grade One, while Constitution Hill’s participation is also unlikely following his fall in the Fighting Fifth, leaving connections tempted to deviate from their intended plan of running in handicap company at Ascot on December 20.

“It’s a difficult one as that Christmas Hurdle looks to be opening up and it will be Ascot or Kempton,” said Tizzard.

“We’re tempted by Kempton and the first people I bumped into today were Garth and Anne Broom of Brocade Racing and I said have you seen The New Lion isn’t going to Kempton, so you have got to be tempted.

“The trouble is Kempton entries close the same day as the race at Ascot so it’s not like we can get a heads-up of what might be there.

“They are both very similar prize-money and we’ve been jacked up (in the weights) for the Greatwood win, we might just see where we are.”

Alexei is as short as 20-1 for the Champion Hurdle having followed up his Welsh Champion Hurdle second with wins at both Ascot and at Cheltenham, and a festive visit to Sunbury could give connections a good gauge to where they stand in the landscape ahead of the spring.

Tizzard added: “I don’t need to be sensible as he’s already had a cracking season and it’s not like I’m trying to get his head in front, I’ve got the option of having a crack at something.

“He’s in a different world now and the Greatwood win was off 13lb lower. If he goes to Ascot he will carry a lot more weight and the horse is thriving, he looks fantastic and we’ll see what happens.

“I can’t commit and I don’t know the right or wrong answer at this stage. However, I’ve never been afraid to have a go and one will be a four- or five-runner race and the other will be a competitive handicap with horses he is giving 20lb to.

“We could just have a go and then can go back handicapping afterwards, but I can’t commit just yet.”