Gary Moore relishing the challenge as Goshen seeks Cheltenham redemption

Gary Moore says he could not be happier with Goshen ahead of his stable star running in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday week (March 16).

The five-year-old, trained by Gary Moore, dramatically unseated the trainer’s son, Jamie, at the final flight in the JCB Triumph Hurdle with the race at his mercy last year.

Twelve months on, connections are relishing taking on defending champion Epatante and the unbeaten Honeysuckle in the two-mile hurdling championship.

Having disappointed in two runs on the Flat following his Triumph Hurdle mishap, Goshen was found to have a fibrillating heart when trailing in last of 10 in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December.

However, the Authorized gelding silenced the doubters and reignited his Champion Hurdle hopes when recording a facile 22-length success in the Grade Two Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton last month.

Now a general 4-1 shot for Festival glory, Goshen has come out of his run at Wincanton in fine fettle and has Moore dreaming of more Grade One glory at Prestbury Park eight years on from Sire De Grugy’s Champion Chase success for the trainer.

Discussing his stable star, Moore said: “Goshen’s in great form and I couldn’t be happier with him going into the Cheltenham Festival.

“He worked well earlier this week and will do two more bits of work before the race and that will be all.

“To be honest, the manner of his Wincanton win did surprise me. I was blown away with it. Some pundits were saying that the time wasn’t very good and you take on that opinion, but he couldn’t have done it much easier could he?

“There was some testing ground in places at Wincanton, but he came through it and was strongest at the finish. Jamie said after the race that he had trouble pulling him up, which is always a good sign.

“Good to soft ground would be perfect for him. Everyone was concerned about the ground at Cheltenham last year for Goshen because he had been doing his winning in heavy ground. But he seemed to go just as well on quicker.

“As long as the word firm doesn’t appear in the going description then we’ll be fine and I couldn’t see that happening given the great job Simon Claisse does with the ground and given the amount of rain we are having at the moment.

“I think with the Champion Hurdle, a lot of the main protagonists are going to want a stamina test. Honeysuckle is proven over further and Epatante flew up the hill last year. It looks like being an interesting race and of course you are fearful of both of those mares, but we’re looking forward to the challenge.

Reflecting on last year, Moore speaking on speaking on BettingExpert’s Cheltenham Preview Show Jump To It, added: “What happened last year in the Triumph Hurdle was a freak accident and I cannot believe that it will happen again. Before he fell, he had travelled beautifully and was well clear.

“Before the race, people were saying that Goshen couldn’t go left-handed. But he put that to bed and, apart from what happened at the last, I just don’t see Cheltenham as being a problem for him.

“It would be fantastic to win a Champion Hurdle with Goshen. It also would look good on the CV too! It would be great if he could do it. Not just for me, but for his owner Steve Packham, for Jamie [Moore, rider] and for the whole yard.

“Everybody involved works so hard and obviously last year was just one of those things and it would be great if he could go back this year and win a race like the Champion Hurdle.

“Those Grade One championship races are the reason why you’re in the game. Good horses don’t come along very often and you have to make the most of them.”