Sir Gino And The New Lion Set For Cheltenham Clash

Sir Gino and The New Lion are due to cross paths at Cheltenham on Saturday as both hold entries for the Unibet Hurdle.


Nicky Henderson's Sir Gino was last seen winning the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, a six-length success ahead of Jeremy Scott's star Ace.


The New Lion, trained by Dan Skelton, shone at the Cheltenham Festival in 2015 when winning the Turners' Novices Hurdle however fell at the penultimate flight when starting his campaign in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle in late November.


Those 2 horses are likely to head the marketplace, with the last field set to be small as Kerry Lee's Nemean Lion, the Harry Derham-trained Brentford Hope and Willie Mullins' Poniros are the other entrants.


The latter horse is a dual-purpose campaigner who famously won last season's Triumph Hurdle on his debut over challenges and though he is due to to return to the National Hunt code before the summer season, his first getaway might be either at Cheltenham or Leopardstown on February 1.


"Poniros remains in a Cheltenham at the weekend, he's due to operate at the Curragh on Tuesday," said Sean Graham, racing manager to Poniros' owner Tony Bloom.


The New Lion (left) and Sir Gino, who are because of cross paths in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday (PA)


"After that Willie and David (Casey, assistant trainer) will make their minds up as to whether we're going to go.


"Sir Gino will be in it and so will JP's horse (The New Lion). There are 2 ways of taking a look at it, we can go to Cheltenham and run at a track he has won around before and there may only be 4 or five runners - or his other option is the Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.


"That will probably be just as tough a race, if not harder, and there'll likely be more runners at Leopardstown too.


"I think if he works well enough, we'll most likely be going to Cheltenham."