Elliott lands Ascot opener with Ardhill Christmas is all about the anticipation. Yet for owners like Danny Charlesworth, the big celebration comes over five days in March. The Cheltenham Festival is very much in the minds of connections of the Gordon Elliott-trained Ardhill (4-1 favourite), who landed a gamble in the opening Foundations Developments Novices' Handicap Hurdle under a cosy ride from Adam Wedge. Blinkers worked the oracle for the six-year-old, who came into the extended two-mile-seven-furlong contest with an 0-11 record. Yet he fairly scooted away from his 15 rivals, to score by seven and a half lengths. Charlesworth, who has owned the likes of Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Hurdle winner Crack Away Jack, is eyeing the Festival meeting now. He said: “We had a little bit on him each-way and we thought he would be in the frame, but we put blinkers on him for the first time. “He wasn't quite right last year and we knew he wasn't right. We knew there was a few niggles. Gordon seemed to think he'd got him right and said he was really well at home and that he wanted to take him to Ascot. “Hopefully he will go on for here and let's hope he is a Cheltenham horse. “We will have to go up the weights, but Adam said he should progress from this and if he does, then we will certainly look to do that. “There are a few races we can look at, depending on the going. Something like the Coral Cup or the Martin Pipe or something like that over two-mile-five (furlongs) or whatever. “Adam said he travelled well the whole way round, but as soon as they slowed, he had to take a pull on him. I'm delighted with that.”
