Bentelimar and Brian O'Connell clear the last at Punchestown on Sunday© Photo Healy Racing
Shay Barry is considering a number of options at the Cheltenham Festival with Bentelimar following his fine performance at Punchestown.
The six-year-old won at Killarney and Wexford when trained by Philip Fenton last year and got off the mark for his new handler in a handicap at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting.
He stepped up to Listed company last Sunday and turned in an authoritative performance to leave his fledgling trainer dreaming of Festival glory.
Bentelimar holds entries in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle and the longer Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle, but will also be given handicap options, with the County Hurdle a tempting target for connections.
Barry said: "I was delighted with him the other day, especially as he showed he can do it over the shorter trip.
"His jumping maybe wasn't as good as it was in Leopardstown the time before, but I think we can improve that and he's a horse that would prefer better ground.
"Hopefully we'll head across the water now with him. He's entered in the novice races and we'll put him in the handicaps as well and decide which way we go nearer the time.
"He stays two and a half miles, but I'd say he might be best over two miles in Cheltenham as they'll go a right gallop.
"He's a fairly experienced horse and it's just great to be hopefully going over there with a horse with a chance in my first season training."
The County Waterford-based handler enjoyed numerous big-race successes during an excellent career in the saddle, but managed just the one Festival winner.
Barry said: "I managed to win the Grand Annual on Space Trucker (1999) for Jessica Harrington, but that was my only winner at the Festival.
"I rode in the Gold Cup and the Champion Hurdle and finished third in what is now the Ryanair Chase on Rathgar Beau.
"I think there's more pressure training than there was riding."
