Sir Gino And The Brand-new Lion Set For Cheltenham Clash

Sir Gino and The New Lion are because of cross paths at Cheltenham on Saturday as both hold entries for the Unibet Hurdle.


Nicky Henderson's Sir Gino was last seen winning the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, a six-length success ahead of Jeremy Scott's star mare Golden Ace.


The New Lion, trained by Dan Skelton, shone at the Cheltenham Festival last year when winning the Turners' Novices Hurdle but fell at the penultimate flight when beginning his campaign in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in late November.


Those two horses are likely to head the marketplace, with the last field set to be little as Kerry Lee's Nemean Lion, the Harry Derham-trained Brentford Hope and Willie Mullins' are the other entrants.


The latter horse is a dual-purpose advocate who famously won last season's Triumph Hurdle on his debut over obstacles and though he is because of to return to the National Hunt code before the summer season, his very first outing might be either at Cheltenham or Leopardstown on February 1.


"Poniros is in a Cheltenham at the weekend, he's due to work at the Curragh on Tuesday," stated Sean Graham, racing manager to Poniros' owner Tony Bloom.


The New Lion (left) and Sir Gino, who are because of cross paths in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday (PA)


"After that Willie and David (Casey, assistant trainer) will make their minds up as to whether we're going to go.


"Sir Gino will remain in it and so will JP's horse (The New Lion). There are two ways of taking a look at it, we can go to Cheltenham and perform at a track he has actually won around before and there might just be 4 or five runners - or his other option is the Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.


"That will most likely be just as hard a race, if not harder, and there'll likely be more runners at Leopardstown as well.


"I believe if he works well enough, we'll most likely be going to Cheltenham."