Slattery proud of future generation Andy Slattery is looking forward to Cheltenham as a number of his former inmates gear up for some of the Festival features. As a producer of young horses, Slattery has handled the likes of Cooldine, Quel Esprit and Invictus in the past and has Neptune Novices' Hurdle favourite Faugheen as his star ex-inmate this term. Slattery, a trainer in his own right, sells plenty of young horses through the point-to-points and he is also a regular consignor at the breeze-up sales. Faugheen scored between the flags for Slattery, while Ladbrokes World Hurdle contender Monksland competed for him at the same discipline. National Hunt Chase favourite Foxrock was also sold under the family's Meadowview Stables banner at the Hennessy Sales at Newbury in November 2011. Slattery said: "Of course I'm a big fan of Faugheen. "He did everything right for us and he won his point-to-point about 70 per cent fit - it's usually only the good horses that can do that. "I never thought when we had him that he was a real three-mile horse. I thought he had too much pace and if he was mine, he'd be going for the Supreme. "We brought him to Ballysteen (in 2012) for his point-to-point, like Monksland, and he won as he liked more or less. "He was sold the next morning after the win. Willie (Mullins) only comes to you when he thinks you have a really good one. "When you consider that Josses Hill is fancied for the Supreme and then think that Faugheen beat him 22 lengths in a bumper, you can see the type of horse you're dealing with. "I give my horses loads of time and they often come to hand around the time of Ballysteen (late April in County Limerick). "He'll be fine over two miles and five furlongs in the Neptune, but he does have a lot of pace. I don't think the ground is an issue for him and I think the better the ground, the better he is." As regards Monksland, a general 16-1 shot for the World Hurdle, Slattery said: "As far as I know, the aim all along has been the World Hurdle. "Monksland was a moral winner the day we ran him in the point. He made a mistake at the fourth-last and he got drove out through the wing at the last fence when he was coming to win. "We had Foxrock, too, but we sold him at a breeze-up before he ever ran. "He has a lovely attitude and I think it's better he'll get as he's still a big baby. I don't think he's even woken up yet."
