Charlie Longsdon warming to Winter with Royal runner Forth Bridge

Charlie Longsdon believes the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Hurdle is the most "sensible option" for Forth Bridge at next month's Cheltenham Festival - as long as he is not handicapped out of the equation.The four-year-old, who is owned by the Queen, made it two victories from as many visits to Musselburgh on Saturday after winning a Listed hurdle at the track.Although Forth Bridge is as short as 20-1 for the JCB Triumph Hurdle, the Chipping Norton handler feels the Grade Three Fred Winter on March 15 is a more realistic aim.Longsdon said: "He was good at Musselburgh, simple as that."He is the only one we have that is owned by the Queen but he is a very good horse. It is a massive privilege and I'm very honoured to have him here."We've always liked him a lot and he seems to have plenty of ability."That (Musselburgh) would have not been the right sort of track for him. Musselburgh would have been way too sharp for him as he is a big, strapping horse that wants a galloping track. He battled hard, though, and kept finding more."He did beat two horses rated in the 140s and if the handicapper acts on those lines, then he is likely to be too high for the Fred Winter."I thought that the two top that were rated in the 140s were very inflated before the race and if he (the handicapper) takes it more that they are 135-rated horses then we can start to think about the Fred Winter."That is the more logical choice and more sensible option if we are given the right sort of mark."