Harrington hoping for Champion placing

Jessica Harrington feels Oscars Well can run into a place in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

Her charge would have gone very close to winning last season's Neptune Novices' Hurdle at the Festival but for making a hash of the final flight.

His latest run behind Hurricane Fly in the Irish Champion Hurdle was his best of the season and the trainer is hopeful he can get closer to the reigning champion granted better ground for the Champion Hurdle itself.

"He stepped up again and he's been improving all winter," Harrington added.

"He has a high cruising speed and I'm not saying he'll ever beat Hurricane Fly, but as I've said to the owners, with some reasonable luck we'll run into a place in the Champion Hurdle.

"I think he ticks all the boxes as he likes good ground, he seems to like Cheltenham and he loves races that are run at a fast pace.

"Hurricane Fly is a very good horse. He's probably one of the best hurdlers we've seen since Istabraq, if not better. He's won 10 Grade Ones now and that's an amazing record."