O’Brien confident Thyme Hill can make his Cheltenham Festival mark

Tom O’Brien is exuding confidence about Thyme Hill’s prospects in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The jockey reports the Philip Hobbs-trained gelding to be in fine shape after his mid-winter break and feels he has nothing to fear following the result of the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Paisley Park was an unlikely victor over Champ after giving away many lengths at the start, but it did nothing to dampen O’Brien’s enthusiasm for the Festival.

O’Brien cannot wait for the three-mile feature on March 17, when Thyme Hill bid to make up for missing the race last year after suffering a slight setback. He did however show his true colours in winning the Stayers Hurdle at Aintree in April.

“He is doing well and all is going nicely and I’m really looking forward to getting going with him in the spring,” said O’Brien.

“He won’t have another run before the Stayers’ Hurdle. He will start schooling soon – he has had a little bit of a break, but all is good with him.

“Looking at the way the race is shaping up after the Trials day, I’m more confident. There is nothing dominant.

“If Champ had come out and bolted up, we’d have been wondering how we were going to beat him, but we beat Paisley Park the last day and Klassical Dream got beat, so we are really looking forward to it.”

Thyme Hill, who finished second to Champ with Paisley Park in third in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in December, is a general 5-1 chance for the Stayers’ Hurdle.