Aristo set for bright future

The James Ewart-trained Aristo Du Plessis was the star of the show on New Year's Day after he recorded his sixth career victory in front of the Channel 4 Racing cameras.

After the six-year-old's stylish front-running win in the Totepool Hogmaneigh Hurdle at Musselburgh for owners John and Jill Dodd, Ewart said: "He's come out of the race very well. I'm very happy with him."

The Langholm handler suggested a two-mile handicap hurdle on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham on January 30 straight after the race, but the weather might force Ewart to think again at options for the gelding.

Ewart explained: "It's possible he might go to Cheltenham but in reality we've have had very little good ground.

"He'll have an entry and if it dries up he might get a run.

"Otherwise he'll go back to Musselburgh for their Cheltenham Festival Trials meeting and then possibly on for the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr in April.

"The Scottish County Hurdle they have there, he'd be top weight again but it's over two miles, there's good prize money so he might as well go and have a look at that and the Scottish Champion Hurdle, that's a handicap.

"If he were successful in those next two races then I suspect next season we'd be moving him on to Grade One races, level-weight contests.

"He's a horse we all dream about. We're quite away from the finish, but who knows we could get there," he concluded.