Nolan hopes Prince can step up

Paul Nolan is looking forward to stepping Noble Prince up in trip for the first time over fences in the Jewson Novices' Chase at Cheltenham on Thursday.

The seven-year-old has stuck to around two miles in three races over the bigger obstacles but Nolan has always wanted to wait until the Festival to give him a try over two and a half miles.

"We've always said that with the heavier ground here in Ireland during the winter, we'd try to keep him to the minimum trip," the County Wexford trainer told At the Races.

"I think we ran him in the wrong race at Cheltenham last year. We went for the County Hurdle instead of the Coral Cup. He was off his legs the whole way.

"He was a stayer on the Flat and we made the decision to step him up to two and a half miles and go for the Jewson very early on and nothing else. Hopefully he will run very well."