09 January 2024 , 20:30
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James Owen has stressed he is fully committed to Cheltenham's Triumph Hurdle with ante-post favourite Burdett Road.
The star of his 20-horse Newmarket stable heads William Hill's market at 7-2 after an impressive introduction to obstacles.
Today Burdett Road's name appeared in the list of potential Champion Hurdle runners, a division dominated by all-time great Constitution Hill. The last four-year-old to win – the age of Owen's talented charge – was Forestation in 1942 for Ron and Vic Smyth.
Owen said: "It was a speculative entry. The Triumph Hurdle is the aim, we want to keep him against his own age group."
Burdett Road's odds for Cheltenham Festival glory were slashed after an eye-catching effort at the November Meeting. Harry Cobden passed every single rival on the son of Group One sprinter Muhaarar and they raced six-and-a-half lengths clear.
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Owen, a five-time UK champion trainer of Arabian horses, plans to run Burdett Road once before his JCB-sponsored Festival target on March 15.
"We missed Chepstow over Christmas, which would have been a hard race on heavy ground," he said. “He will return to Cheltenham on Trials Day or go to the Dublin Racing Festival. He's in great form and learned a lot last time.
"It's an exciting time for me and the team."