Joe Tizzard plotting Festival route for Western Knight

Joe Tizzard’s Western Knight is set to run once more before taking aim at the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old has made an impressive start to his hurdling career this term, winning on debut at Uttoxeter and then following up at Ascot next time out.

Given an opening rating of 128 over hurdles, he stepped up in class and trip to contest a Grade Two three-mile heat at Cheltenham’s December meeting, acquitting himself well when second behind a more experienced horse in the French-trained Jet Blue.

The Albert Bartlett will be his target come the Cheltenham Festival in March, with the gelding pencilled in for one more run beforehand, as a trip to Doncaster is under consideration.

“He came out of Cheltenham really well, we’ve had an easy enough few weeks with him over Christmas and we’ll have a look at running him again in January,” said Tizzard.

“I thought he was fine with the trip, he got it really nicely, he just bumped into a nice French horse that had a few more runs under his belt.

“We were very pleased with him and think he’s definitely on an upward curve.

“The Albert Bartlett is the plan, he could go up to Doncaster or something like that and then have a crack at it.

“He’s an improving horse and he just seems to be getting better with every run.”