The Cheltenham Festival can not come quick enough for trainer Syd Hosie, and in particular the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, in which he carries high hopes for his promising young starlet Rock My Way.
After an encouraging hurdling debut on New Year's Day, Rock My Way went on to scoop Grade Two honours on Trials Day at the end of January, when a one-and-a-half-length victory over Pembroke landed the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Prestbury Park, and put the promising gelding very much in the picture for further Cheltenham success on Gold Cup Day..
That victory came over a touch more than two and a half miles, but the five-year-old will step up to three miles for the Albert Bartlett when he returns to Prestbury Park in just over two weeks.
His price for that Grade One contest ranges from 14-1 to 25-1 and Hosie is relishing the prospect of pitting his talented son of Getaway against Ireland's best staying novice hurdlers.
"He's flying and is fresher by the day, so roll on March 17 and all roads lead to Cheltenham," said Hosie.
"He had a good old look around when he hit the front at Cheltenham last time coming up the hill, but as soon as something comes up behind him, he pricks his ears and runs on again.
"A truer run race over three miles, I think we will see a hell of a horse.
"It's really something to look forward to – getting him there and having a good crack at the Irish. It would be nice to get one on the board for the Brits."
Hosie could also be represented at the Festival by his stable stalwart Lieutenant Rocco, who snapped a lengthy luckless run with a chase victory at Kempton at the weekend.
He holds an entry in the Pertemps Final over hurdles, but with a rating of 122 leaving his participation on the edge, the Sherborne-based handler has a back up plan of Kempton the day after the four-day Prestbury Pak extravaganza draws to a close.
He continued: "I'm not sure his hurdle mark will go up with his chase mark, so he might not get in. If he doesn't, there's a 0-150 at Kempton the Saturday after Cheltenham, so we might go there with him.
"It's been a long time coming to get him to win and to do it in my name made it all the more sweeter really.
"He's a lovely horse and we all know what he can do on the track."
