Buddy One set for Cheltenham return

The seven-year-old has a fine record at the iconic course and won over hurdles at the same meeting last year, before going on to finish a respectable fourth in the Festival's Stayers' Hurdle, losing out to the impressive Teahupoo. 

He also performed with credit at Aintree and Punchestown in the spring, but has been switched to fences for this season, making a taking debut over the larger obstacles at Galway.

Buddy One then came up against Henry de Bromhead’s Heart Wood and Emmet Mullins’ Cheltenham Festival winner Corbetts Cross in a Wexford Listed event and although finishing last of three, Gilligan was pleased with the round of jumping he produced against more experienced rivals.

The seven-year-old is now poised to return to novice company for the Listed From The Horse’s Mouth Podcast Novices’ Chase in the Cotswolds on November 15.

“He’s 100 per cent and came out of the race at Wexford very well,” said Gilligan.

“It wasn’t ideal to have to make the running but I was delighted by the way he jumped out in front. He was slow at a couple but jumped well on the whole and made no mistake whatsoever. He slowed down and popped a couple but that’s better than galloping through one and ending up on the floor.

“He was a novice against second-season chasers, so I was delighted with him. He will stay chasing and ideally he would have needed a lead but no one would go on. I told Jack (Gilligan, jockey) to just tip in and learn a bit and he was just being a bit careful, so I think he will be better with a lead.

“There was nothing for him and if I wanted to go to Cheltenham in November, it was a little tight time wise to go elsewhere, so I just decided to get him the experience in that race.

“He got a good experience against some good horses and he will go now for the novice race on the Friday of the November meeting, all going well.”