Mares Hurdle the target for Mrs Milner

Paul Nolan has the Cheltenham Festival in his sights again for Mrs Milner who won the Final of the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle Series in great style last March.

The Flemensfirth mare stayed on strongly up the hill to beat The Bosses Oscar by five lengths under Bryan Cooper in that three-mile stamina test but Nolan now plans to drop her in trip for a crack at the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.

Mrs Milner recorded her fourth career win when successfully reappearing in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cailin Alainn Mares Hurdle at Limerick in October.

However, she was soundly beaten in fourth behind Thomas Darby in the Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury the following month and has been on the easy list since.

“She went into her shell a bit after her run last time at Newbury. It took more out of her than we thought,” said Nolan before adding, “She didn’t run to the line and Bryan was never happy with her. Obviously there must have been something underlying.

“Hopefully we will see a different mare the next day. She looks great at home again and has put on a bit of weight.

“The plan is either to go straight to Cheltenham for the Mares’ Hurdle or go there with a run before in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham.”

Jeremys Jewel is another mare that the Enniscorthy trainer holds in good regard having won bumpers at Wexford and Killarney last summer and also a maiden hurdle in Cork.

Nolan said, “Jeremys Jewel is being aimed at the Mares Handicap Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival in Leopardstown.

“We gave her a little bit of a break as she was busy all summer and we couldn’t be happier.”