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Gordon Elliott admits he would be 'shocked' if stable jockey Jack Kennedy didn't side with Teahupoo over Irish Point, who would sport the same silks should the pair clash, in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
A winner of nine of his fourteen outings to date, the Robcour-owned bay made his only start of the campaign a successful one when beating Wille Mullins' Impaire Et Passe to collect his Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse before Christmas.
A return to Prestbury Park has clearly always been on the agenda since, with Elliott providing a positive report on the seven-year-old, who will be bidding to go two spots better than when third behind the likely reopposing stablemate Sire Du Berlais in this contest twelve months ago.
"He's in good form, we're very happy with him," said Elliott speaking to the press from his yard this morning.
There had been a degree of speculation about who stable jockey Jack Kennedy would pledge his allegiance to at Cheltenham after the impressive victory of Irish Point on his first start over three miles in Leopardstown's Christmas Hurdle, but the County Meath-based handler fully expects his number one rider to partner Teahupoo two weeks on Thursday.
He added: "We've come straight from the Hatton's Grace, and I'd be shocked if Jack doesn't ride him, to be honest."
"He's a proven stayer and we've minded him for the race. I'd imagine we'll go here and then we'll maybe go to France with him.
"He handled the ground in Cheltenham last year and I don't think it's going to be any quicker."
Owners Robcour look to hold a strong hand on the Grade 1 staying prize at Cheltenham next month, with race sponsor Paddy Power unable to split their pair at the top of the betting (3/1). Irish Point is also a 10/1 chance to claim the Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the festival, but Elliott was keen to stress conditions would have to be testing were that to be a legitimate option.
"If the ground came up very soft, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that I'll run him in the Champion Hurdle. At the moment I suppose the Stayers' is where he's going, but we'll leave it until the last minute," continued Elliott.
"I think the better the ground, the better the chance Irish Point will have (in the Stayers' Hurdle). I don't think the trip will be a problem.
"Whatever Jack doesn't ride, Jordan (Gainford) or Sam (Ewing) will ride the other."
Although the aforementioned Robcour-owned duo dominate the betting for the three-mile Grade 1 contest, Elliott could saddle as many as four with both last year's winner Sire Du Berlais and Beacon Edge also possible contenders.
While Sire Du Berlais is a general 20/1 shot to follow up on last year's victory, when he was sent off a largely unfancied 33/1, Elliott suggested it would be dangerous to discount his three-time Cheltenham festival scorer, who also has two victories in the Pertemps Final on his fairly illustrious CV.
"Sire Du Berlais worked very well on Saturday, he likes it when the sun comes out and seems to like Cheltenham," he said.
"We only have to ride him out and swim him twice a day. He's been the horse a lifetime, to be honest."
