'It's my Gold Cup and it's my best chance yet' - trainer chasing festival first

David Christie is seeking a first success at the Cheltenham Festival next month and the County Fermanagh-based trainer believes Winged Leader is unquestionably his best chance yet in what he described as "his Gold Cup" – the St James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase.

Winged Leader is generally a 5-1 shot, although only 4-1 with Coral, and the only horse shorter than him in the market is two-time runner-up Billaway, whom he beat easily by 12 lengths at Thurles last month.

That piece of form is hard to knock and Winged Leader has won his last five starts in a row between point-to-points and hunter chases. Christie is getting excited for the big race on March 18.

He said: "When you specialise in something like I do with hunter chasers, the race at Cheltenham is my Gold Cup. That's the race I want to win most and I definitely think this is my best chance yet. This is the first time I have a live chance going over.

"I say that, but I know what happens: you think you have a live chance going to Cheltenham and then when you get over there you realise you have no chance!"

Winged Leader: second favourite for the St James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase at CheltenhamCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Christie added: "Winged Leader is very good and it's all systems go for Cheltenham with him now. He's in great form and the one thing I will say is that he's versatile with regard to the ground. He's won on bottomless ground at Down Royal and you saw how well he handled decent ground at Thurles last time.

"It doesn't really matter to him what the weather does. It's been a fairly dry winter up until recently so there could be a lot of rain coming and that won't bother him.

"He won't run again between now and Cheltenham. He's shown me already this season that I can get him ready off the back of a long enough break so we're going straight there. He's a more mature horse now and easier to ride. I think he'll come on again from Thurles."

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Christie could be double-handed in the race as Vaucelet will also have an entry. He won the Champion Novices' Hunters' Chase at Stratford last May and his trainer warned not to read too much into his effort at Down Royal over Christmas, when he was a beaten favourite.

"Vaucelet is a good horse but he wanted nicer ground and a longer trip than he got at Down Royal," the trainer said. "The two of them will be entered and they both could run but I'd say Winged Leader would be in pole position at the moment."

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