Prestige Novices' Hurdle: Oliver Sherwood leans towards Haydock for Guerlain De Vaux over River Don at Doncaster
Guerlain De Vaux unbeaten in two starts over hurdles and moving 'upmarket', but not given a Cheltenham Festival target; River Don at Doncaster likely to come too soon for Market Rasen and Catterick winner
Tuesday 18 January 2022 13:16, UK
Oliver Sherwood is slightly favouring the Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices' Hurdle at Haydock over the River Don at Doncaster for Guerlain De Vaux.
Owned by the Million In Mind partnership, the six-year-old has won both his starts over hurdles at Market Rasen and Catterick.
Clearly blessed by stamina, Sherwood is not entertaining thoughts of the Cheltenham Festival this season and just hopes he is still training the Tiger Groom gelding next term given he will be heading to the sales in May.
- Bristol De Mai set for Lingfield Winter Million assignment
- Lingfield Winter Million: All you need to know
"The fact we've won two means we've got to go upmarket a bit now," said Sherwood.
"The River Don has been mentioned, although I haven't had a proper chat with Anthony (Bromley, racing manager) yet, I just want to see how he comes out of his race but he seems good.
"As the River Don is next weekend, it might just come a bit soon so we could wait for the Haydock race in the middle of February (19).
"He won't have an entry for Cheltenham. He's a horse who has only had three races in his life, so that would be too much.
"I think the River Don will be unlikely, he might have an entry, but I think it will be the Haydock race.
"He's a big horse. If you'd have told me he'd be winning at Market Rasen and Catterick, I'd have thought you were barking mad because he wants Doncasters and Newburys, but he's an exciting horse going the right way.
"Like all horses owned by Million In Mind, he'll be going to the sales at Doncaster in May, which is standard. It's a shame but we'll have to find somebody wealthy to buy him back."
