Leslingtaylor heads straight for Arkle

Leslingtaylor will head straight to Cheltenham for the Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy as John Quinn plans his assault on the Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old has already won a total of 12 races on the Flat, over timber and fences, and took the scalp of the highly-rated Tidal Bay at Doncaster last month.

Quinn said: "Leslingtaylor is absolutely fine after Doncaster and he won´t have a racecourse gallop before Cheltenham.

"It will be the same routine and we´ll tick along at home."

When asked if he thought his charge had not received the credit he deserved after trumping Tidal Bat, the Malton handler added: "I´m not that worried as he did well to win coming back on the back of a fall. We were pleased with him.

"He has certainly got a chance in the Arkle and it is very pleasing to have such a good horse in the yard."

Leslingtaylor stood his ground for the Arkle along with 37 others at the latest forfeit stage.

All the well-fancied protagonists are still in the two-mile showpiece, including Noland, Mahogany Blaze, Clopf and Tidal Bay - although the latter is also still in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase.

As expected, Acambo and Pedrobob featured among the 26 defectors, along with Sky´s The Limit and Wins Now, who finished fifth behind Catch Me on his return to timber last weekend.