Cheltenham Festival News: Arkle hope Edwardstone heading for Warwick prep
Edwardstone and Tom Cannon winning the Wayward Lad Novices' Chase at Kempton Park
Alan King-trained Edwardstone will continue his build-up to a crack at the Arkle by taking in the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick on Saturday February 12.
Already a Grade 1 winner, having landed Sandown's Henry VIII Novices' Chase, he was last seen justifying odds-on favouritism in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices' Chase at Kempton Park's Christmas meeting.
The eight-year-old, who failed to complete in his first two chases, already has positive experience over fences around Warwick, having broken his chasing duck over the same course and distance as the Kingmaker last November.
Edwardstone is a general 3-1 chance for the Arkle on March 15 behind favourite Blue Lord.
The Robert Abrey and Ian Thurtle-owned gelding is being put through his paces ahead of Warwick contest, a race that Barbury Castle handler King has won three times, with Kadount (2005), Voy Por Ustedes (2006) and Balder Success (2014).
King has been "delighted" with his recent homework and added: "Edwardstone is very well. Everything is very much on course.
"He schooled very well on Monday and the plan is to go to Warwick on Saturday week."
Stablemate North Lodge, who made it two wins from two starts when landing the Grade 2 Classic Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday is set to bypass the Cheltenham Festival.
King is instead eyeing a trip north of the border with the five-year-old for the Grade 2 bet365 Premier Novices' Hurdle at Kelso on March 5.
The two-and-a-quarter-mile event forms part of the £100,000 bet365 Morebattle Hurdle card.
King said: "North Lodge has taken his race well.
"I will probably go to Kelso at the beginning of March and possibly on to Aintree after that.
"It is not set in stone, but I don't think he will be going to Cheltenham this year."
King is set for a busy couple of weeks and is looking ahead to Betfair Super Saturday at Newbury on February 12.
Tritonic, who won the valuable Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot in mid-December before being well held in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, is set to fly the flag for the yard in the Grade 3 Betfair Hurdle.
"Tritonic is still on course for Newbury," added King. "He is due to work on Wednesday, but he is in good order and we're looking forward to next weekend."
Joining him at the Berkshire track will be the versatile Sceau Royal, who reverts to chasing for the first time this season.
The 10-year-old won the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle at Wincanton in November and was a close-up third in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle later that month.
He has raced exclusively over hurdles this season, but will bid to land the Grade 2 Betfair Game Spirit Chase for a second successive year.
King added: "Sceau Royal will go to the Game Spirit, so we have got plenty to look forward to.
"James Bowen had a sit on him on Monday for the first time and I think he will take over with Daryl Jacob injured, so that's the plan with him."
