King's Lil Rockerfeller 'on an upward curve' Neil King is keeping his fingers crossed Lil Rockerfeller can earn a deserved return to the winner's enclosure with victory in the Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on Sunday. The Grade Two contest has attracted a strong field of nine runners but King's stable star arguably sets the standard on recent form. Last season's National Spirit Hurdle winner kicked off the campaign by finishing third in the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby, before giving subsequent Christmas Hurdle winner Yanworth a run for his money in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot. Lil Rockerfeller stepped up to three miles for the first time in the Long Walk Hurdle back at Ascot a fortnight ago and filled the runner-up spot once more behind the prolific Unowhatimeanharry. King said: "We were not originally planning to run but he came out of the Long Walk so well that we thought we better pop an entry in. He was second last year and it looks a good race for him. "I thought it was a very good run in the Long Walk and he seems to be getting better with each start this year. He improved last season and is continuing on an upward curve. "His form looks pretty strong now having seen what Yanworth did on Boxing Day, and we all know what Unowhatimeanharry is about." Cole Harden has failed to get his head in front since his tremendous World Hurdle victory in 2015. Warren Greatrex's charge was beaten at odds-on by Its'afreebee on his chasing debut at Wetherby in early December and is fitted with cheekpieces for the first time on his return to hurdling. "I think he was beaten by a good horse at Wetherby," said Greatrex. "The owners are going away from January 5 and there was no novice chase they wanted to go to, so we are going back over hurdles. It is only two and half miles but he is in great nick." The Robert Walford-trained Camping Ground was a dominant winner 12 months ago, albeit in far more testing conditions. He is another horse switching disciplines, having failed to run up to expectations in two starts over fences this term. Walford said: "We started off this season planning to run over fences but although he looks like a chaser and he's built like a chaser, you can't make mistakes like he has, at the level he's running at, and get away with it. "We've decided to switch back to hurdles and we'll see what happens, but it looks a competitive race. "Lil Rockerfeller sets a good standard. I thought he ran a fantastic race at Ascot last time. "Hopefully our horse will run well."
