Options open for Coney Island Coney Island's Cheltenham Festival target is likely to become clear after his next run. Eddie Harty's charge was sidelined for almost a year after splitting Our Duke and Disko in the Neville Hotels Novice Chase at Leopardstown, but made an impressive return in a graduation chase at Ascot last month. Harty has also given his charge an entry in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham and he will appear next at either Ascot or Leopardstown in February. The trainer said: "I was delighted with Coney Island at Ascot. He has come out of it fit and well, and is ready to go again. "He has been entered for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Ryanair Chase, and will also have entries in the Irish Gold Cup on February 4 and the Ascot Chase a fortnight later. "We will go for one of those two and then make a decision about which race to aim for at Cheltenham after that." He went on: "I think the Gold Cup picture looks as much as it did before Christmas. Might Bite did nothing wrong, Sizing John did, but that might have been down to the proximity of his prep race, and nothing else really came to the fore. "My fella has shortened up in the betting after Ascot, but it was only a graduation chase. Touch wood and all being well, we will be able to decide where we are going after his prep run. "I don't have any concerns about his stamina, but it would have been stupid not to put him in the Gold Cup and the Ryanair as we are still nine weeks out from Cheltenham and can finalise plans nearer the time."
