Fowler hopeful Mustard can make Cheltenham

Lorna Fowler’s flag bearer Colonel Mustard is in a race to make the Cheltenham festival next month.

Last season’s Champion Hurdle fifth has handicap targets at this year’s meeting.

He was last seen chasing home exciting French import Kitzbuhel at Punchestown in December but suffered a slight setback afterwards.

“He got a stone bruise which is why he didn’t go for the Irish Champion Hurdle,” revealed Fowler.

“There are a couple of handicaps that we will enter him in at Cheltenham, the Coral Cup and the County Hurdle, but the next week will need to go very smoothly to get him there.

“We’ll need every minute to get him ready for Cheltenham. He’s back riding but it’s just taken us a while to get him back going again.

“We’ll aim for Cheltenham and see what comes after that.”

(Alan Magee)