TRIUMPH HOPE SET FOR CHELTENHAM OUTING Leading Triumph Hurdle hope Pedro Pete is set to run in Saturday`s Wragge & Co Finesse Four Years Old Hurdle at Cheltenham, it was revealed today. The Nicky Henderson-trained gelding also holds an entry for the Brewers Juvenile Hurdle at Doncaster the same day but connections have decided to go for the Grade Two contest at Prestbury Park. Owned by Thurloe Thoroughbreds, the four-year-old made an impressive winning debut over jumps at Kempton earlier this month and is Ladbrokes` 8-1 joint-favourite for the Triumph Hurdle. James Stafford, representing the owners, said: 'We intend to run Pedro Pete at Cheltenham on Saturday providing the ground doesn`t come up too heavy. 'Although he likes it soft, we don`t really want to run him if the ground is very testing so we`re watching the weather at the moment. 'He made a very satisfactory debut at Kempton and I thought he looked very professional in his hurdling. 'The only semblance of a mistake was at the last, when Mick (Fitzgerald) probably took things slightly easy. 'I think he is among the best juvenile hurdlers in Britain, although I`m not sure about how he compares with some of these French horses. 'The plan is to run on Saturday and if all goes well he will go straight for the Elite Racing Club Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. 'He seems to appreciate a test of stamina and I think he will be suited by Cheltenham.' Among the opposition could be Tikram, who was withdrawn from a race at Fontwell on Tuesday because of unsuitably soft ground. Trainer Gary Moore said: 'Tikram is very nice but people won`t see his full potential until he gets decent ground. 'I thought that he`d be better on an easy track, but Norman Williamson who rode him last time at Kempton said that he`d be better over a stiffer two miles. 'He won`t be seen at his best on soft ground. He needs good ground and there`s no point running for the sake of it.'
