Tuesday 9 January 2018 11:14, UK
Anthony Honeyball is eyeing the Punchestown Festival as a long-term target for his exciting mare Duhallow Gesture.
Bought for £100,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point and Tipperary bumper last spring, the daughter of King's Theatre is already looking a shrewd purchase having made a successful debut for her new connections in a Listed contest at Huntingdon on Boxing Day.
Another Listed mares' bumper at Sandown on March 10 is her likely next port of call, after which she could be prepared for a return to her homeland.
Honeyball said: "Duhallow Gesture will go to Sandown. She's qualified for that and that will be her fifth bumper.
"After that we'll go to Punchestown I think, there's a graded bumper for mares at the Festival.
"We are a bit in no-man's land with her regarding hurdling, so as long as she runs well at Sandown we'll take her there."
Another bumper horse for whom Honeyball has high hopes is Acey Milan.
Runner-up on his racecourse introduction at Exeter in October, the four-year-old has since bolted up at Wincanton and claimed a Listed prize at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.
"Acey Milan will go to Newbury for a Listed bumper on February 10 and we'll see how he gets on there," Honeyball added.
"He might have done enough by then or we might take him to one of the spring Festivals."
