Round Tower© Photo Healy Racing
Trainer Karl Thornton is preparing Down Royal bumper winner Round Tower for an appearance over the Festive period.
The five-year-old showed a good attitude when making a winning start to his career at Northern Ireland's premier track at the start of November and a couple of weeks later he was sent to Brightwells Sale at Cheltenham.
However, after buyers failed to meet his reserve price, he is now back in Ireland and Thornton is excited to see his charge kick off his jumping career in the next fortnight.
He said: "He went to Cheltenham but it was a bad sale and lot of the big owners weren't there. I thought they'd go mad for him, but they didn't and we brought him home, which didn't bother me.
"I'm quite happy to keep him. I think he's an exciting horse.
"He'll probably get an entry in the winners' bumper at Leopardstown over Christmas, but I think he'll probably go straight over hurdles at either Leopardstown or Down Royal on St Stephen's Day.
"The owner is happy enough to go straight over hurdles, so I think that's the way we'll go and I think the horse has improved quite a bit for his first run."
The County Dublin-based trainer has only a small string at present, but is hoping Round Tower can boost his profile.
"Things are going alright. We've had plenty of point-to-point winners and a few winners under Rules in Britain. We don't mind travelling when the prize-money is good," said Thornton.
"We've only got the seven horses riding out at the moment and you need horses like him (Round Tower) to keep the job going."
