Festival Handicap Chase: Charlton sets Knockara Beau March aim

Latest News / Timeform / 01 February 2012 /

" class="free_bet_btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">

Knockara Beau has opening day target.

"He was a little bit sore after the race, but he's champion now."

George Charlton has Cheltenham Festival aspirations for Knockara Beau following his third-placed finish in the Argento Chase.

Although the nine-year-old, rated 147x over fences but 149 over hurdles by Timeform, did not jump with as much verve as connections might have wished, a second-fence mishap did him no favours.

Trainer George Charlton said: "He hit the second (fence) and twisted a vertebrae. He was a little bit sore after the race, but he's champion now.

"The ground was also a bit tacky at the weekend and that didn't help, either."

The Northumberland handler is now considering running Knockara Beau in the JLT Specialty Chase, for which he's currently [27.0], on the first day of the Festival on March 13.

He added: "We'll probably enter him in one of the handicaps at Cheltenham, but he's gone up 7lb for the weekend, which is not exactly ideal.

"There's an open handicap over three miles on March 13 that we might look at, but I'd love to try him over further in time.

"He loves Cheltenham - the undulating track plays to his strengths."

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>