Town Moor conditions are worry for Keighley

Although still a maiden over fences, the eight-year-old was set to open his account in the fog at Newbury on his latest start, only to part company with Johnny Farrelly at the final fence.

Keighley reports his charge to be none the worse for that spill but should the ground be unsuitably fast for the gelding on Town Moor, he may instead take his chance in a novice handicap at Cheltenham on the same day.

"We're a bit worried that the Doncaster ground is going to dry out too much for him, so if that's the case, he might switch to Cheltenham," said Keighley.

"Doncaster is very much his first preference at the moment, but we'll have to see about the ground.

"We couldn't see too much at Newbury last time, but the jockey said he had it won when coming down at the last," he said.

"There is actually a little stand near the last fence at Newbury and Johnny said when he came out of the fog, the horse heard all the people cheering and got a bit of a fright.

"Unfortunately he was looking at the stand rather than the fence, which is why he made the mistake.

"Hopefully he'll have a chance wherever he goes this weekend."

Keighley is leaning towards Cheltenham rather than Doncaster for Champion Court, who missed out on a run at Leicester on Tuesday.

The six-year-old was thrown straight into Grade Two company on his hurdling introduction at Prestbury Park in November and posted a most impressive seven-length win.

He was forced to bypass an appearance at Leicester after coughing on Tuesday morning, but Keighley believes he could be well enough to contest the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle.

"He coughed on Tuesday morning but we scoped him later in the day and the scope came back clean," the handler revealed.

"We've had him blood tested and if they come back clear as well, he might just go to Cheltenham on Saturday.

"He's a lovely horse and very exciting. We also have him entered at Doncaster this weekend but I think the ground will more suitable for him at Cheltenham.

"He's definitely more of a three-miler really and the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle would be his main target at the Festival in March."

The Albert Bartlett is also on the agenda for Teaforthree, although he won't be making the trip to Cheltenham for the Cleeve Hurdle this weekend.

"He's not going to run at all this weekend. His trachea wash wasn't 100 per cent clean, so we're just going to try to get him right.

"We'll give him an easy week," she said.

"Hopefully we'll be able to run him in a couple of weeks. We're going to go for a normal novice with him and then he'll go for the Albert Bartlett."