Thursday 5 January 2017 17:56, UK
David Pipe is still mulling over Moon Racer's big-race targets but says he'll be going 'low-key' somewhere with him soon.
The 2015 Weatherbys Champion Bumper winner at the Cheltenham Festival missed most of last season through injury, only returning at the Punchestown Festival at the end of April where he was second to Willie Mullins' Blow By Blow in the Grade One Attheraces.com Champion INH Flat Race.
However, he made a very bright start to his novice hurdling career this campaign, seeing off Ballyandy at Perth in September before beating the same rival and other notables in the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle on November 13 at Cheltenham's Open meeting.
That was the last time he was seen in a race, but Pipe insists the 5/1 favourite with the sponsors for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival will be seen on a racecourse soon.
"He's in good order at home," Pipe told sportinglife.com.
"He'll be out in late January or early February, I'm not sure where yet but we'll be going low-key with him for his next run."
The handicapper allotted Moon Racer a handicap mark of 141 following his Cheltenham victory, a rating that could tempt connections to go for a valuable handicap like the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on February 11.
However, novices' must have run three times over hurdles to qualify for that race and Pipe admits he's running out of time to get the third run into him.
"To run in the Betfair Hurdle he'd have to have one more run over hurdles to qualify. It's a nice idea, but I'm not sure we'll have time.
"He'll be entered in the Supreme and the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and we'll see which route we go nearer the time."
Moon Racer is a 40/1 chance with Sky Bet for the Stan James Champion Hurdle.
