McConnell has options with 'relentless' Mahler Mission

Mahler Mission put in a strong front-running performance over three miles in Navan's beginners' chase to see his price contract for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham.

Ben Harvey 's mount had Shantreusse trying to mount a challenge at the third last, however, Harvey sent Mahler Mission clear two out and the seven-year-old gelding galloped home stoutly to score by 10 lengths at 10/3. Tenzing the 2/1 favourite, was in trouble in third after three out but plodded on for second, some six and a half lengths clear of Gars De Sceaux

John McConnell said: "He's progressing all the time. We tweaked his wind after Cheltenham and it's done a great job.

“He just loves it. He's very clever for a big horse, he can go in and fiddle. He just gallops and jumps and he's just decent.

“We put him in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham this week and we'll certainly look at it, you wouldn't be averse to going after that.

“He's going to get a big enough mark so we're going to be restricted where we can go, but in a good way.

“He's won a lot of his races making the running and he loves doing it. He doesn't pull or anything, he just likes doing it and he's relentless.

“He's hard to peg back and he has a great attitude, he just likes to win.

“I was bottling it last night, thinking of taking him out, and looking at other alternatives. There is nothing in Ireland though bar a couple of Grade 2s. We could do that or could go straight to Cheltenham.

“All the big handicap chases are on the agenda as well, there are a lot in the UK worth a lot of money. There are loads of options with him, he's only a young horse.”

Paddy Power made Mahler Mission 12/1 from 33s for the National Hunt Chase.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson