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Ryanair ultimate aim for Notlongtillmay

The Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival is the long term aim for Laura Morgan’s Notlongtillmay, who finished runner-up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Trainer : Laura Morgan, who will ready promising novice chaser Loughderg Rocco for the Cheltenham Festival after his impressive success at her local track
Trainer : Laura Morgan, who will ready promising novice chaser Loughderg Rocco for the Cheltenham Festival after his impressive success at her local track Picture: Mike Egerton- PA

Although Laura Morgan felt 'tempted' by the option of the December Gold Cup at the same track next month, she has decided to wait for the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton Park on 13 January.

Notlongtillmay built on a promising reappearance fourth over two miles at Cheltenham to finish a well-beaten second behind Stage Star in the Paddy Power Gold Cup under Adam Wedge. The seven-year-old remained in contention throughout the contest, but lacked the toe to compete with Grade 1 winner Stage Star up the hill.

"He seems to have come out of the race well. He bumped into one a bit better than him, but he's run really well and we're all delighted to have a horse to take us to these big days," said Morgan.

"I entered him for the December race and then I pulled him out because I just thought I'd be too tempted to run him.

"He had a hard enough race, I felt, at Cheltenham, so I thought we'd maybe wait and go to Kempton for the Silviniaco Conti Chase on January 13.

"Whether we step him up in trip after Kempton, I'm a bit undecided on that. The Ryanair Chase, I would say, would be the plan.

"It's so hard to find horses like this, even for the bigger trainers. It's great for a small yard like ours to have a horse to go to the big days and be competitive as well."


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