Triumph option for French ace St Donats but Auteuil is the priority

Chantilly-based Hugo Merienne says he will keep options open for his Grade 1-winning juvenile St Donats but that the JCB Triumph Hurdle "is not our main objective."

St Donats is a 20-1 chance for the opening race on Gold Cup day at Cheltenham and would be a fascinating contender, having won the Grade 1 Prix Cambaceres by 11 lengths on his most recent start in November. Only six horses are shorter in the betting, headed by Lossiemouth at a best price of 11-8.

The son of Saint Des Saints runs in the colours of British-based owner-breeder John Williams and was the only French-trained horse among 59 entries revealed for the Triumph on Tuesday.

"He had a three-week holiday and is back in work now," said Merienne. "We entered him at Cheltenham so as not to entirely close the door on it as an option. It’s not his primary objective and he's ultimately going to follow the four-year-old programme in France. But it keeps all the options open."

Merienne spent a year working for Willie Mullins and is a fan of Anglo-Irish racing, sending Margaret's Legacy to challenge for the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton in 2021.

James and Keith Reveley flank trainer Hugo Merienne after St Donats dominates the Prix Cambaceres at AuteuilCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

But the Grade 1 Prix Alain du Breil in May is the ultimate target for St Donats and the Triumph will come into play only if Merienne judges it a good stepping stone.

"He's being prepared to run in the spring, so the timing wouldn’t be much of an issue and we would only have to slightly alter his programme," said Merienne.

"There might be one reason to go, which is that he'll have to carry a lot of weight in the early prep races at Auteuil. I find it a shame to penalise young horses like that and we entered him at Cheltenham to give me the option of running him at level weights if he was in really good form.

"But the French programme is well made for young horses and Auteuil is his backyard. We’ll reflect on it but the main priority is here."

The already impressive prize-money on offer at the top level in France has been raised for 2023. The Grade 3 Prix d'Indy, staged two days after the end of the Cheltenham Festival, is now worth €135,000 (£119,000) against the £135,000 of the Triumph, while the Grade 1 Prix Alain du Breil has total prize-money of €278,000 (£245,000).

The top two in the Triumph betting began life in France, with Lossiemouth a winner at Auteuil last April for Yannick Fouin and Mullins-trained stablemate Blood Destiny formerly trained by Gabriel Leenders.

JCB Triumph Hurdle (March 17, Cheltenham)

Betfair: 11-8 Lossiemouth, 7-2 Blood Destiny, 10-1 Gala Marceau, 12-1 Jupiter Du Gite, 14-1 Comfort Zone, 16-1 Scriptwriter, 20-1 St Donats, 25-1 bar

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