Watson keen to test Grove Road up in class

Archie Watson will step Grove Road up in class for his next outing as the trainer bids to find out if he has a Cheltenham Festival contender on his hands.

The Mahler gelding won a bumper in December 2021 and opened his account over hurdles at Carlisle in October.

Upped to an extended three and a quarter miles in soft ground at Hereford, he gained a neck success over previously unbeaten Mr Vango, with the pair well clear of the remainder.

Now the Upper Lambourn handler will hand the Hambleton Racing-owned seven-year-old a stiffer test, with the River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster on January 28 pencilled in.

“We are very happy with him – he has come out of the race well,” said Watson.

“He has done nothing wrong under rules – he’s won his bumper and a novice hurdle, and now a novice hurdle under a penalty.

“He was going to go to Cheltenham for a Grade Two, but that meeting was called off, so it was good that they put that meeting on at Hereford. It was a good time-frame for us.

“The River Don is the next race for him now.”

Anything Grove Road achieves over hurdles is a bonus, according to Watson, whose yard has sent out eight jumps winners from just 20 runners this term.

He added: “We’ll see how he runs in either one or two of those Grade Twos before Cheltenham and then see if he ends up an Albert Bartlett horse, or whether we look towards handicaps.

“Long-term, his future was always going to be over fences. He’s a very straightforward horse, nice to deal with, nice to look after.”

Watson added: “We have had plenty of jumps winners. My wife, Brodie, trains them mostly. She gets the credit. It is a lot of fun and we have a good strike-rate.”