Burdett Road remains Triumph-bound despite Cheltenham reverse

A tilt at the JCB Triumph Hurdle remains on Burdett Road’s agenda despite his defeat at Cheltenham on Saturday.

A winner at Royal Ascot in the summer for Michael Bell and the Gredley family, the four-year-old confirmed himself a top-class jumping recruit in winning his first two starts over hurdles at Huntingdon.

The son of Muhaarar was a marginal favourite to complete his hat-trick in Saturday’s Grade Two Triumph Hurdle Trial, but on the day he proved no match for Nicky Henderson’s Sir Gino, who rocketed 10 lengths clear and is now as short as evens for the juvenile championship at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Trainer James Owen acknowledges Burdett Road will have his work cut out in his bid to turn the tables on Sir Gino, but he is nevertheless happy to roll the dice.

“We bumped into a very good horse and the positive we can take from it is that we jumped better and he’s come out of it fine,” said the Newmarket handler.

“I think drier ground will help us. We’ve got to improve to bridge that gap, but he’ll have an easy week and he’ll be trained for the Triumph Hurdle – all systems go, basically.”

Owen is optimistic his charge can make more of a race of it in March, adding: “We were pleased in quite a few ways on Saturday as he jumped better and settled better, albeit he got keen at the top of the hill when they seemed to slow the race down.

“He was there at the right time to win the race and we were outclassed on the day, but he’s been beaten before on the Flat, he’s a hardy horse and he would have learnt more again.

“Drier ground, a bit of spring weather, I’m hoping a few things will help us bridge the gap. There were no excuses on our behalf though, we were beaten by a very good horse.

“I’m happy with my horse and not disappointed. There was a lot of hype and press about him before Saturday, which was great, but the pressure is off me a bit now and hopefully we can get a trouble-free run and get to Cheltenham in good health and hopefully he’ll run very well.”