National Spirit Hurdle likely option for Australian challenger Big Blue

There could be an Australian flavour to the Netbet Casino National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell next month with joint trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace eyeing a tilt at the Grade 2 event with Big Blue.

Big Blue pulled up in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on December 26 but connections are hoping to run the eight-year-old at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

He was an easy winner of the Galleywood Hurdle – one of Warrnambool’s May Carnival feature contests – last year and finished third under Ryan Moore on the Flat during the Spring Carnival at Flemington before travelling to Britain.

Eustace said: “We’re still hoping to run him at the Cheltenham Festival and we’ll have a clearer picture of which race we’ll go for after we see how he fares next time and once he has a mark.

“The Cleeve Hurdle is an option in the short term, and there are a couple of potential races in Ireland, but he’s quite likely to go for the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell.

“We were disappointed with his run at Kempton but we learned plenty from it. We were pretty happy with the first half of the race but he hit the fourth-last and lost his position quite quickly. He reached the heights in Australia but is still lightly raced and finding his feet in Britain.”

Triumph Hurdle contender Goshen set for Huntingdon date on Friday

Goshen, vying for JCB Triumph Hurdle favouritism after two runaway wins over hurdles, will be putting his Cheltenham Festival credentials to the test at Huntingdon on Friday.

The Weatherbys Chatteris Fen Juvenile Hurdle has been targeted by his trainer Gary Moore for the son of Authorized, who is unbeaten in his last five races – three on the Flat before hurdle wins at Fontwell and Sandown.

Moore said at Plumpton on Sunday: "The plan is to run at Huntingdon and he worked well yesterday. We will find out if he's any good."

Goshen, joint-favourite with Aspire Tower and Allmankind for the Triumph with some firms, is a best-priced 8-1 after his two impressive hurdle wins by a total of 57 lengths.

Goshen: sauntering clear of his rivals at SandownCredit: Mark Cranham

Moore won the Huntingdon feature seven years ago with Chris Pea Green, who went on to finish seventh to Our Conor in the Triumph at Cheltenham.

Goshen is one of seven entries for the two-mile test with Nicky Henderson putting in French import Monte Cristo, who won his only start over the French hurdles at Auteuil in October, and impressive Newbury scorer Fraser Island.

Henderson has won the Chatteris Fen twice in the last nine years with Divin Bere, second in the Fred Winter at the festival, and A Media Luz.

Lord Lamington, runner-up in the Grade 2 Summit Juvenile Hurdle at Doncaster, Nordano, Building Bridges and hurdling newcomer Greek Kodiac make up the entry.

Irish-based trainer Natalia Lupini to take six-month break

Natalia Lupini, the Milan native who based herself in County Down, has not renewed her licence for 2020 with a view to taking a break from training for six months.

Best known for her handling of some speedy handicappers, Lupini sent out four winners in Ireland in 2019 but has returned to Italy ahead of a trip to South America before making a decision about where she will base herself permanently.

Natalia Lupini (right) is to take a six-month break from trainingCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Lupini said: "I decided against renewing my licence in Ireland. It had nothing to do with Ireland being too competitive or anything like that, I had just planned on taking a six-month break before making my mind up about where I want to base myself full-time."

She added: "I haven't decided on anything other than going to South America for six months and then I'll see what I do when I come back."

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