Heads Up set for Cheltenham return on Friday

Champion Bumper second Heads Up is due to take the next step in his promising early hurdling career at Cheltenham on Friday.

John McConnell’s five-year-old was runner-up in the biggest National Hunt Flat event of the season at the same track in March, the culmination of a productive campaign.

He returned to action to make his hurdling debut at Listowel in September, and despite a few green leaps he was a comfortable winner when crossing the line two lengths ahead of his nearest rival.

The  Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle now beckons, a rise in both calibre and trip, for the two-mile five-furlong trip Grade Two.

“He’s good, all being well he’s going to Cheltenham on Friday for the Grade Two,” said McConnell.

“It’s big step up from his run at Listowel but he’s in good nick and schooling well, so we’re going there hopeful he can be competitive.

“He’s done a lot a schooling since his last run, he’s a lot sharper now with his jumping.

“I’d imagine his trip will be longer than two miles ultimately, so this will be a good guide to where we go with him in the future.”

Meath-based McConnell has another notable British entrant in Moon D’Orange, who may take his chance in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury should the ground prove soft enough.

“We haven’t really had the ground we need for him yet, we want soft ground and we just haven’t had it,” McConnell said.

“He’s in the Coral Gold Cup and there’s every chance we’ll go there if the ground is soft.”

McConnell trains a fan favourite in the seasoned and versatile 12-year-old Seddon, who came to grief early at the Chair in the Grand Sefton at the weekend but is thankfully none the worse.

The trainer said: “Unfortunately the sun was a big factor in the Sefton on Saturday, there was a big shadow at the chair and he took off there instead of where he should have.

“He had an easy fall so thankfully he’s OK, but the Chair should probably have been taken out.

“He’s absolutely fine so he’ll end up going to one of the veterans’ chases, maybe the one at Cheltenham in December.”