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Ashroe Diamond is likely to line up a Cheltenham Festival bid when she runs at Doncaster this on January 27, according to a Blue Blood Racing Club spokesman.
Willie Mullins’ Grade One winning mare is eyeing up the Grade Two Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle, due to being ineligible for the majority of races in her native Ireland.
Nicky Henderson operated the same prelude strategy in 2023 but could not train Epatante to a successful Cheltenham Mares’ Hurdle after winning in South Yorkshire.
Last term’s victory at Fairyhouse has limited Ashroe Diamond’s options on home soil in preparation for Prestbury Park in March, although she did make a promising comeback in the Hatton’s Grace at the scene of her 2023 triumph.
“We’d have liked to have run her in the Beatthebank at Leopardstown over Christmas that Shewearsitwell won last season, but as a Grade One winner she couldn’t go in it”, said James Fenton, who manages the Blue Blood Racing Club who own the mare.
He added: “We’re probably looking across the water and she’s going to be entered in Doncaster on the 27th, and the plan is to run at Cheltenham in the Mares’ Hurdle.
“She hasn’t made Cheltenham yet and when we discussed it I said there’s still a bit more there.
“We just felt she deserves one more year over hurdles, she is a Grade One winner already, there isn’t much to prove going over fences, but I do think she’s good enough to win the Mares’ Hurdle.”
Fenton said the camp would be delighted with a top-three finish at Doncaster, with a view to being competitive at Cheltenham in March.
“Myself, Willie (Mullins), Patrick (Mullins) and David Casey will all have our views of the best route and when you have that kind of a team saying what you should be doing and where you should be going, you probably should be listening.”
Ashroe Diamond currently boasts a 50 per cent strike rate under rules, including a victory on her last outing on British soil in April 2022.
