Triumph favourite Burdett Road set for Chepstow

Triumph Hurdle favourite Burdett Road will head to the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle over Christmas for the next step on his path to the Cheltenham Festival.

The Royal Ascot winner shot to the top of the market for the Triumph when supplementing his wide-margin Huntingdon win with a devastating display at Prestbury Park, coming from the back of the field to sprint clear of his rivals up the Cheltenham hill.

Trainer James Owen will now step Burdett Road up in class at Chepstow on December 27, where he will contest the Grade Two event his owners the Gredley family won with Allmankind back in 2019.

Owen said: “He’s come out of Cheltenham really well and is in full training and we’re looking forward to his next target, which will probably be the Finale at Chepstow.

“That will tell us what we do after that, whether we go straight to the Triumph or give him another race beforehand. Chepstow gives us plenty of time, all being well.

“It’s keeping us warm for Christmas and he’s an exciting horse for me, the yard and the Gredley family.”

Defi Du Seuil was the last horse to complete the Finale/Triumph Hurdle double and although Burdett Road faces the possible prospect of really testing ground at Chepstow on Welsh Grand National day, his handler believes the race comes at the perfect time in the season, with the Festival in March in mind.

Owen added: “He handled the ground well at Cheltenham and I know Chepstow can be a bit more extreme but it’s a very good prize (£80,000) and they are the kind of races we want to be going for going into Cheltenham.

“If it was absolutely bottomless, we would think about it, but it’s the aim to go there and he’s being trained for it and that’s where he will go.

“If it is tiring ground and he has a hard race, then we have plenty of time and can go to Cheltenham a fresh horse. On the flipside, if we need to give him another run, we’ve plenty of time as well. It just gives us that extra option.”