Derham happy to chart Triumph path with One Horse Town

Harry Derham’s One Horse Town will head straight to the Triumph Hurdle after showing his liking for Cheltenham once again on Festival Trials day.

The handler had mooted a run in Kempton’s Adonis Hurdle for the thriving bargain buy who brought up a four-timer when winning a Grade Two at Prestbury Park in November.

He has since finished third to Adam Nicol’s Minella Study back at the track in December, but it is the second place behind Dan Skelton’s well-regarded Maestro Conti most recently that is convincing Derham to concentrate on another visit to the Cotswolds.

Derham said: “He’ll go straight to the Triumph and I thought that was a very good run on Trials day.

“The more I watch it back, I just wonder if he gave it away a little going to the last, he just slowed down and pricked his ears.

“If Maestro Conti is around 8-1 and we’re 33s then to me that makes no sense and we’re going to go and have a go.

“I don’t want him to go to the Adonis, have a hard race and then regret it if he runs flat in the Triumph. If he finishes seventh in the Triumph then fine, but I think he deserves to take his chance and be aimed at it.”