Cheltenham targets for Hobbs and White duo

Stablemates Imperial Saint and Lowry’s Bar are heading to Cheltenham at the end of the month, with joint-trainer Johnson White keen to keep them apart.

Both progressive novices have been prolific winners and now find themselves on identical handicaps marks of 144.

On Trials day at Cheltenham the pair will be entered in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase and the £100,000 Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase over the same extended two-and-a-half-mile trip, with White, who trains with Philip Hobbs, understandably looking to run one in each race.

“Imperial Saint will have two entries at Cheltenham on January 25,” said White.

“He’ll be in the £100,000 race, but also the £40,000 novices’ handicap and actually Lowry’s Bar will be entered in both races as well.

“Not surprisingly I’ll be doing what I can to keep them apart!

“There’s been no reason Imperial Saint hasn’t been to Cheltenham as yet, it’s just been the races have tended to be at Aintree, but the time has come for him to go now and see if he’s up to it.”

Imperial Saint is owned by the Richard Johnson Racing Club and was a first winner for the syndicate in November 2023.