Cheltenham Target For Etoile

Accordion Etoile has emerged from his chasing debut in top form and is on course to make an appearance in the Independent Newspaper Novices´ Chase at Cheltenham on November 13.

However, trainer Paul Nolan has yet to decide if the Champion Hurdle fourth will have another outing before that Grade Two contest.

'We might run him again before Cheltenham in November and if that is the case he would go to Fairyhouse for a two-mile beginners´ chase,' Nolan told At The Races.

'He is very well, though, and he could go straight to Cheltenham in November without another run.'

Accordion Etoile went down by two and a half lengths to the Grade One winner Watson Lake at Limerick on Sunday after crashing through the second-last fence.

'Up until he made that novicey mistake he had jumped very well and I was very pleased,' said Nolan.

'He never got a smack with the stick but still managed to close the gap down to two lengths.

'He is an ordinary horse on yielding to soft ground but he is a very decent horse on good ground, as he showed in the Champion Hurdle last year when only beaten three lengths by Hardy Eustace.'

(C) PA Sport