Moore opts for Huntingdon with Goshen

Graham Clark
January 4, 2020 5:15 pm

Triumph hope all set for Friday’s Chatteris Fen.

Goshen is set to put his unbeaten jumps record and huge reputation on the line in the Weatherbys Chatteris Fen Juvenile Hurdle at Huntingdon.

Gary Moore’s youngster made huge progress in the second half of 2019 – dominating his rivals in three successive Flat handicaps before winning his first two starts over hurdles by an aggregate of 57 lengths.

The Authorized gelding is towards the head of the betting for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival – and while connections have the option of giving him a taste of Prestbury Park at the end of the month, Moore is favouring an appearance in Cambridgeshire on Friday.

He said: “I’ll go to Cheltenham with Goshen when I have to go to Cheltenham. I think I would rather go to Huntingdon first, because I think that will sharpen him up.

“If he is good enough to go to Cheltenham, we will go there on the day.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to make. I know the horse is very well at the moment – and while he’s well, I want to run him.

“I feel he needs a bit more experience before going to Cheltenham, but I’m pleased with what I’ve seen so far.”

Goshen is one of seven contenders at this stage for the Chatteris Fen, with Nicky Henderson entering impressive Newbury winner Fraser Island and French import Monte Cristo.

The Stuart Edmunds-trained Building Bridges, Mick Quinn’s Greek Kodiac, Alan King’s Lord Lamington and Nordano from Neil King’s yard are the other hopefuls.