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Shantou Flyer to run in National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham Festival

Shantou Flyer with Barry O'Neill and trainer Colin Bowe after winning the Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Punchestown.
Image: Colin Bowe will aim Shantou Flyer at the National Hunt Chase

Colin Bowe has set his sights on the National Hunt Chase the Cheltenham Festival with Shantou Flyer.

The five-year-old already has four chase wins to his credit this term, including a victory at Cheltenham back in October.

However, stepped up to Grade One level for the Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse last weekend, Shantou Flyer found the competition a bit too hot as he finished a 31-length fifth of seven.

Bowe said: "The ground was probably a bit too deep for him and he just wouldn't have the speed to go with those horses over that trip.

"The National Hunt Chase was the original plan. We decided to give him a go on Sunday and it didn't work out.

"We'll give him a bit of a break now, miss Christmas and freshen him up.

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"The plan would be to give him a run over hurdles somewhere in the new year and then go straight to Cheltenham for the four-miler."

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