Cobblers Dream hopes for Cheltenham opening

Lanzarote Hurdle winner Cobblers Dream is likely to head for either the Coral Cup or the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Ben Case-trained gelding was an eye-catching victor of the Listed contest in January, prevailing by five and half lengths in a competitive field of 19.

Prior to the Kempton triumph he was a three-length winner at Doncaster, a success that was the six-year-old’s third over hurdles in five runs. His maiden win over obstacles came at Warwick in September, when he was an impressive six-and-a-half-length scorer.

Cobblers Dream holds entries for a trio of Cheltenham Festival contests, but he is not expected to run in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and is more likely to contest either the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle or the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Which of the latter two races he lines up for remains to be seen as the final fields are yet to take shape, but a Cheltenham appearance is not obligatory for Case and connections, with Kempton and Punchestown options to be considered.

“I don’t think he’ll run in the Ballymore, for sure. I’ll be surprised if he gets into the Coral at the moment,” the trainer said.

“He’ll probably end up running in the boys (conditionals) race but again, that’s if he gets in.

“It’s not the end of the world if he doesn’t go to Cheltenham, he can go to Kempton on the Saturday and then to Punchestown after that.

“The main plan would be to run him in the Coral if he were to get in, but if he doesn’t make the cut then I’ll run him in the Martin Pipe.”