3 minute read

Trainer Jonjo O'Neill is happy with the progress of promising hurdler Saint Davy, but is prepared to play the waiting game before rushing into a decision about his prospects at next month's Festival.

After easing in with a point-to-point win in 2021, Saint Davy took a Carlisle bumper in October before making a successful start to his hurdling career when squeezing home by a nose from Hymac at Chepstow on Welsh National day.

Now, following a recent setback, O'Neill has confirmed that the Gay Smith-owned gelding will continue his education in the next couple of weeks.

The trainer said: "Saint Davy is grand. He is in to run somewhere. He is OK. He has had a bit of a setback – his blood was a bit wrong for a while, so we've left him alone and now he's hopefully coming back again.

"He is a big, fine horse – a big, old chaser. You'd hope he would be one for the future. He has a lot to learn and is still a baby.

"He did well to win (at Chepstow) – I didn't think he'd win to be honest."

Though he holds entries in both the Ballymore and Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival, O'Neill is reluctant to commit him for either at present.

He added: "It's possibly too soon. I don't know is the answer, really. We'll see how he runs, but he hasn't got much experience to be fair.

"He is a nice horse for the future and I'm not going to be rushing him. Luckily enough we have patient owners. It will be up to me to see if he goes there or not, but I'd like to see him run again and I'd feel a bit happier. I like him, but I just don't know until he runs."