Penzance A Christmas Contender

Penzance could bid for honours in the Stan James Christmas Hurdle at Kempton next week following his creditable effort at Cheltenham.

The 2005 Triumph Hurdle hero, trained by Alan King, stayed on well for third behind Osana and Katchit in the Boylesports.com International Hurdle on Saturday.

'We thought he had a stiff task at the weights taking on such good horses,' reflected Matthew Budden, racing manager for owners and breeders, the Elite Racing Club.

'We'll have a look at either the Christmas Hurdle or a two-and-a-half mile conditions race at Cheltenham in the new year.

'We'll try to aim at those sort of races and hope we find one that cut up like the one at Sandown earlier in the year when he dead-heated for first place.

'He's going to stick to hurdles for the time being but there's always a chance he'll go back to fences at some point.'

Elite had two entries in the Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday but Penzance and Trompette were taken out at the confirmation stage.

'We decided to skip the Ladbroke with Penzance. It comes a bit quick and he'd have a big weight there so we thought we'd better swerve that,' added Budden.

Of Trompette, the ground is not soft enough for the Nicky Henderson-trained mare, who has not raced since finishing unplaced in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

(C) PA Sport