Kemboy and Aramon have Supreme Racing Club dreaming of Cheltenham glory

The Supreme Racing Club, helped in no small part by the genius of Willie Mullins, enjoyed a Christmas to remember at Leopardstown and now dreams abound for 2019 with their latest Grade 1 winners Aramon and Kemboy.

Rubbing shoulders with the big owners at the big festivals is not a new phenomenon for the club, which is designed to provide general racing fans with a chance to experience the thrills and spills that come with high-level ownership for a fraction of the cost.

Airlie Beach provided the club with Grade 1 success over hurdles, while Pique Sous had members investing in new outfits before winning at Royal Ascot in 2014.

In Aramon and Kemboy, the club now have genuine aspirations of landing a first Cheltenham Festival success, something not lost on racing manager Steve Massey.

Reflecting on Friday's Savills Chase success with Kemboy, who is now no better than 8-1 to win the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup off the back of that impressive display, Massey said: “He was tremendous. I know the ground was good but the time was very good also.

"He had plenty left in the tank and the big thing about it, which people keep forgetting, is that he won it as a six-year-old. He was the youngest horse in the Savills Chase and he's improving.”

Massey added: “To have a horse good enough to go for the Gold Cup is just fantastic, but to have one towards the top of the betting is amazing. Willie's talking about going straight to Cheltenham and the dream is alive.

“He is owned by a group of enthusiasts who can't afford horses on their own and who have pulled together as a group. It is ten weeks until Cheltenham and the lads are going to really enjoy it. Win, lose or draw, it's going to be a fantastic experience."

Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh join the Supreme Racing Club members for the celebrations after Aramon's Future Champions Novice Hurdle victory at LeopardstownCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The experience may yet be heightened with Aramon. After producing an electric turn of foot to snare the Grade 1 Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle, Aramon has entered calculations for the aptly-named Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, for which he can be backed at a top-priced 16-1 for the Sky Bet-sponsored contest.

Unlike Kemboy, Aramon is likely to have one more run before Cheltenham.

Massey said: “We’ve always liked him but the turn of foot he produced was fantastic.

“After the Royal Bond, Willie said we’d go back up in trip, but through one thing or another he decided to take a chance given the uphill finish at Leopardstown. The faster pace also helped him."

He added: “We’re thinking of going back to Leopardstown for the Deloitte Novice Hurdle in February and the lads involved in him are all dreaming about the Supreme Novices' Hurdle after that. It’s very exciting.”

Members can read the latest exclusive interviews, news analysis and comment available from 6pm daily on racingpost.com