Ground Could Rule Out Blockley Hope

Is It Me looks like skipping the Cheltenham Festival unless the going dries out.

The four-year-old, who won his first five starts over timber last summer, will instead go to either Aintree or Punchestown next month if conditions remains soft at Prestbury Park, where he holds entries in the Triumph Hurdle and the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle.

'The way the ground is looking he won't be going to Cheltenham,' said trainer Paul Blockley.

'At this stage it's too soft for him and he'll go to Liverpool or Punchestown - one of those.

'He's in blinding form. He's ready, but it's whether conditions come right and it's looking very doubtful.'

Is It Me suffered his first defeat over hurdles at the expense of Katchit, who is a leading fancy for the Triumph.

After being unplaced behind the same horse at Cheltenham in November, Is It Me was given a break before returning on the Flat with a pipe-opener on the all-weather at Kempton four weeks ago.

'I gave him a run on the Flat the other week and it went really well. It's just a question about the ground now, if that's going to be suitable,' Blockley said.

'If he did go to Cheltenham I would imagine it would be the Triumph.

'He'd have plenty of weight in the other, but there's always the two ? the handicap is on the Tuesday and the Triumph's on the Friday ? as he's tough.

'The aim though at the moment would be the Triumph, ground permitting.'

Is It Me is a best-priced 33-1 for the Fred Winter and is generally available at 66-1 for the Triumph.

(C) PA Sport