Racing: Fanshawe plots Champion repeat

TThe positioning, the posturing, for the great Cheltenham Festival carnival continued yesterday as connections of the leading protagonists tickled, just tickled, the drum further.

James Fanshawe's Hors La Loi III, it was confirmed, is ready to attempt his third win in the last four years – he was second in 2001 – in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on 15 February before heading to the Festival to defend his Champion Hurdle crown.

The Paul Green-owned gelding took a heavy fall at Cheltenham on his reappearance before finishing a 22-length fourth behind Intersky Falcon in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. But he is now reported in "good form" by Fanshawe.

"He's really well," the Newmarket trainer said. "He did a light spin on Saturday and I'm very happy with the way he's being doing his work at home." And, recalling the Kempton race, the Newmarket trainer said: "The fact that he didn't win or wasn't in the first three you'd have to say was slightly disappointing. But the ground was against him and I really feel that the race came too soon for him after his fall at Cheltenham in the Bula."

Hors La Loi III has shown his best form when conditions are not too testing. "He's really happy with himself now and let's hope it dries out a bit," Fanshawe added. "I don't really want him to be dragging round in the mud at this time of year because he doesn't like the soft ground.

"I'm hoping we'll be able to get him nearly spot-on for Wincanton on the 15th and then to Cheltenham. I wouldn't really want to run him [at Wincanton] in a complete bog but it was on the soft side last year when he ran there so when he's on form – providing the ground is on the good side of good to soft – he's okay. It's when it is really heavy he hates it." Hors La Loi III is a 12-1 chance with William Hill to repeat his Champion win.

No final decision will be taken about a Cheltenham target for Beef Or Salmon until the final days before the Festival, his trainer Michael Hourigan confirmed yesterday.

The seven-year-old novice put himself in the picture for the Gold Cup with a clear-cut victory over more-experienced rivals in the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown last month.

As a result his Gold Cup price tumbled and connections initially expressed the desire to see him tackle chasing's blue riband prize, a race for which he is currently second-favourite in most lists. But an alternative entry has also been made for Beef Or Salmon in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase and Hourigan's charge could yet line up in either race.

"We'll play it by ear; nothing will be certain until we get there," Hourigan said yesterday. "There haven't been any headaches since the Ericsson and although the ground over here is bad enough at the moment it doesn't bother him at all. He's fine and I'm looking forward to running him again."

Meanwhile, the horse to whom Beef Or Salmon has most often been compared is enjoying a new lease of life despite his advancing years. The prolific winning jumper Dorans Pride, who himself won both the Ericsson and the Hennessy in 1998, was retired at the end of last season as the years seemed to be catching up with him. But the 14-year-old made a successful – if low-key – comeback in an open point-to-point at Kilfeacle on Saturday.

Hourigan refused to rule out the possibility of Dorans Pride lining up in hunter chase company, possibly even in the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham.

"It wasn't a bad race – they put it up to him and he won it well," his trainer said. "He'll run again this weekend and we'll see how he goes. He is enjoying himself. A horse like Dorans Pride wouldn't want to be left out in a field all day, doing nothing. I owe him too much to do that to him.

"He was in training for 10 years and that is the routine he likes. It's too early to say what the plans will be for him. He will let us know what he wants to do."