‘Niggly issue’ for Golden Ace not expected to derail Festival bid

Jeremy Scott remains optimistic Golden Ace will make next month’s Cheltenham Festival, despite revealing his star mare suffered a muscle injury when winning the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton.

Victorious in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival last year – handing a first and so far only defeat to Brighterdaysahead – the seven-year-old was beaten by Nicky Henderson’s Lucky Place on her first two starts of this season before getting the better of Burdett Road in the Grade Two Kingwell.

Golden Ace jumped right throughout that day, however, and Scott believes he now knows why.

“She jumped violently right at the first hurdle at Wincanton and then after that she was slightly hanging right. Anyway, we found she had pulled a small muscle, which is probably why she was doing it, and we’re treating it,” he said.

“She’s well and sound, so hopefully we can get it all right ahead of Cheltenham.

“I’m very hopeful that she’ll be fine, it’s just a niggly issue, nothing major.”

Golden Ace is entered in the Mares’ Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the Festival and a final decision on which race she will line up will be made closer to the time.

Scott added: “I think we’ve got to see which way everybody splits really. Ultimately, one would like to think we’ll run in the easier of the two races and I don’t have a problem with two and a half miles (in the Mares’ Hurdle).

“If we got her back to her best I don’t see that being a problem at all.”