Trainer David Bridgwater is aiming Barnaviddaun at next year’s Cheltenham Festival after acquiring the gelding from Tom Mullins‘ yard.
Barnaviddaun was last seen winning the Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle for Mullins at Naas last month, having previously been beaten into second by Funky Dady in Punchestown‘s EBF Auction Final.
The seven-year-old will now continue his development under the stewardship of Bridgwater, who is aiming his new charge at the Cheltenham Festival in March before what is likely to be a novice-chase campaign next season.
“He won a nice race last time out, and I’m hoping he might end up in either the Coral Cup or the Pertemps Final,” Bridgwater was quoted as saying by Racing TV.
“To be honest, we’ve never been a handicap hurdle yard ? we’re known for novice chasers really ? so to have a horse like him who might end up at Cheltenham is fantastic.
“I’m not thinking we’re going to go and win it or improve him off Tom Mullins or anything daft, but it would be nice to get him to Cheltenham.
“The reason we bought him is because I want him as a three-mile chaser for next year, that’s what we’re after. We’ll look after him until then really.”
Bridgwater feels he has taken a large part of the risk out of the purchase, as Barnaviddaun has already shown himself to be a proven winner.
The Cotswolds-handler added: “We’ve bought him for an existing owner in the yard. We can’t afford to go and buy these pointers that fetch stupid money ? I’d rather go down the route of those who have already shown some form.”
