Danny McMenamin is pinching himself ahead of riding Tommy’s Oscar in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Last season's champion conditional jockey cannot wait to take on Henry de Bromhead's brilliant mare Honeysuckle with Ann and Ian Hamilton's progressive gelding in the Grade One showpiece on March 15.
The seven-year-old has steadily climbed the ranks to establish himself as one of Britain's leading contenders. After rattling up a hat-trick of victories in handicap company, Tommy's Oscar showed his Champion Hurdle credentials with a five-length success in Haydock's Champion Hurdle Trial last month.
Another step forward will be required again if he is to trouble the big guns that are also set to include 2020 heroine Epatante, but Danny McMenamin believes Tommy's Oscar may still have more to come.
McMenamin, 21, said: "Tommy's Oscar has not put a foot wrong to be fair. First time out at Wetherby he was probably a little bit too keen and he didn't really settle, but he has not taken a wrong step since.
"I missed two wins on him due to injury, but it was still nice to see him progress and then take that next step forward again at Haydock. We were hoping going there that we would come away with the win, but he completely surprised us with the way he did it.
"He did need to put in a performance like that to show his Champion Hurdle credentials, but to be fair we were probably going to have a crack anyway as how many times are you going to have a horse with a chance of running in the Champion Hurdle?"
He went on: "I'm not saying it is going to happen, but to ride my first winner at the Festival in the Champion Hurdle really would be the icing on the cake. It would be unreal and as a kid it is the stuff you dream of. If he finishes in the top six, you'd be over the moon."
Tommy's Oscar has largely been kept to flat tracks, but the Penrith-based rider is optimistic he will be able to cope with both the occasion at Cheltenham and with the undulations on the course.
"Early doors he should be grand at Cheltenham, but it will be when the taps get turned on coming down the hill that we will know if he handles the track or not," McMenamin added.
"He is up against the big boys and girls now like Honeysuckle and Epatante. They deserve respect and we will give them that, but at the same time I've got to give my lad a chance and hopefully he can reward us."
