Cheltenham Festival: Sussex-trained runners to watch

Gary Moore is enjoying a career season in the National Hunt sphere and he looks set to saddle a small but select team for this year’s meeting, headed by Porticello.

We’ve taken a look at the leading hopes for Sussex below. Watch all of the action from Cheltenham next week on ITV Racing and Racing TV. All odds via Betfair.

Editeur Du Gite Trainer: Gary Moore Race: Queen Mother Champion Chase (Wednesday, 3.30pm) or Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Wednesday, 4.50pm) Odds: 25/1 with Betfair

Carrying the same colours of Moore’s 2014 Champion Chase hero Sire De Grugy, Editeur Du Gite has shown a real aptitude for Cheltenham this term and is unbeaten in two starts at the track. Off a mark of 153, he clearly has plenty to find with his main market rivals, but he is progressing at a rate of knots and his liking for the track is another positive. There was plenty to like about his latest effort when a fine winner at Cheltenham, keeping on strongly from the back of the last to score.

This is undoubtedly his stiffest test to date and Moore wanted to run the eight-year-old in the Game Spirit Chase as a prep race for the Champion Chase. However, he met a slight setback and was unable to run. Despite that, he is thoroughly unexposed and could run into a place in a contest that features Shishkin, Energumene, Chacun Pour Soi, Nube Negra and former winners of the race Put The Kettle On and Politologue. Connections could also run in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual for which he would run off 11st 9lb in that event.

Full Back Trainer: Gary Moore Race: Ultima Handicap Chase (Tuesday, 2.50pm) Odds:

A horse who has really turned a corner this year. He was well-backed prior to scoring in good style at Cheltenham on his penultimate start. Ridden aggressively by Jamie Moore, he showed a really good attitude up the hill to record a first success of the season. Full Back’s jumping has been an area of concern in recent years, but he put everything together on this occasion to record a two and a half-length success. The seven-year-old backed that up last time out with a respectable second in a contest at Taunton where he was arguably just outstayed by Yala Enki. However, he remains open to more improvement and a mark of 140 looks fair here for a horse who is just starting to mature with experience.

Porticello Trainer: Gary Moore Race: Triumph Hurdle (Friday, 1.30pm) Odds: 10/1

Arguably Moore’s best chance of a winner at this year’s meeting. The four-year-old made a likeable start for connections in Listed company at Wetherby. Moore’s charge lost nothing in defeat when second to Knight Salute in a Graded event at Doncaster. He did not seem to enjoy the track on that occasion, but still stuck to the task well to fill second. Porticello’s crowning glory came in the Grade One Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow where he showed his liking for testing ground when powering to a clear-cut success for Jamie Moore. That performance highlighted his likeness for testing ground, a point that was further advertised by his latest win in the Victor Ludorum at Haydock. Ridden by Josh Moore, Porticello powered to glory and comes into this event as one of the leading British contenders for the two-mile event. If the ground came up soft, Porticello would certainly to be a serious player up against Irish runners Vauban, Pied Piper and Fil Dor.

Teddy Blue Trainer: Gary Moore Race: Triumph Hurdle (Friday, 1.30pm) Odds: 20/1

Teddy Blue has filled second on his first two starts for Gary Moore having been purchased from French trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. Second on debut at Lingfield, he took a huge step forward to fill second in the Graded Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton in February. The four-year-old travelled powerfully into contention and if not ploughing through the last, he could have given the winner Knight Salute plenty to think about.

Didtheyleaveuoutto Trainer: Nick Gifford Race: Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Thursday, 2.10pm) Odds: 33/1

A talented bumper horse, he finished 10th in the Champion Bumper and has gone on to record two wins over hurdles. There was a lot to like about his second-placed effort at Newbury in November in a competitive handicap hurdle where he kept on well to finish second. However, he was very disappointing on his latest start when he hung to his right. If forgiven that effort, he could be one to note. Gifford could also run The Mighty Don, Belargus and Paddy’s Poem.

Goshen is aheadline act.

Moore to come for Gary & team?