Sir Gino And The New Lion Set For Cheltenham Clash

Sir Gino and The New Lion are due to cross courses at Cheltenham on Saturday as both hold entries for the Unibet Hurdle.


Nicky Henderson's Sir Gino was last seen winning the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, a six-length victory ahead of Jeremy Scott's star mare Golden Ace.


The New Lion, trained by Dan Skelton, shone at the Cheltenham Festival in 2015 when winning the Turners' Novices Hurdle however fell at the penultimate flight when beginning his campaign in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in late November.


Those two horses are most likely to head the marketplace, with the last field set to be little as Kerry Lee's Nemean Lion, the Harry Derham-trained Brentford Hope and Willie Mullins' Poniros are the other entrants.


The latter horse is a dual-purpose advocate who famously won last season's Triumph Hurdle on his launching over challenges and though he is due to to go back to the National Hunt code before the summer season, his first getaway may be either at Cheltenham or Leopardstown on February 1.


"Poniros is in a Cheltenham at the weekend, he's due to operate at the Curragh on Tuesday," stated Sean Graham, racing supervisor to Poniros' owner Tony Bloom.


The New Lion (left) and Sir Gino, who are due to cross courses in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday (PA)


"After that Willie and David (Casey, assistant trainer) will make their minds up regarding whether we're going to go.


"Sir Gino will be in it and so will JP's horse (The New Lion). There are two methods of looking at it, we can go to Cheltenham and at a track he has won around before and there may only be 4 or 5 runners - or his other alternative is the Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.


"That will probably be just as tough a race, if not more difficult, and there'll likely be more runners at Leopardstown as well.


"I believe if he works well enough, we'll probably be going to Cheltenham."