Haiti Couleurs has Curtis dreaming of Cheltenham glory again

Rebecca Curtis reports National Hunt Chase hope Haiti Couleurs to be in top form, as the Welsh handler eyes a return to the Cheltenham Festival winner’s enclosure.

Curtis has registered five winners at National Hunt racing’s showpiece event and it was in the National Hunt Chase back in 2012 where she first got off the mark at the meeting when Teaforthree obliged.

Formally a Grade Two, the marathon contest for novices has reverted to a handicap for this year, with professional jockeys also permitted, and Curtis has been minded to campaign her exciting eight-year-old carefully with that in mind.

Having recorded two wins from three chasing starts before Christmas – including one at Prestbury Park in December – Haiti Couleurs switched to hurdles to continue ticking over at Newbury earlier this month, finishing a respectable third behind Dan Skelton’s Santos Blue.

He is said to have bounced out of that assignment in rude health and confidence is high as Haiti Couleurs – who is as short as 7-2 with Paddy Power and Betfair – now bids to give the Pembrokeshire trainer her first Festival success since Lisnagar Oscar won the 2020 Stayers’ Hurdle.

“He’s really good and has come out of the race at Newbury really well,” said Curtis.

“I was really pleased with his run, I couldn’t have asked for more really and it was just perfect as a stepping stone, so now we look forward to Cheltenham as he seems in great form.

“I didn’t want to leave him from December until March without a run but with the form he was in, if he went and won another over fences I didn’t want him going up another 7/8lb and being nearly top-weight in the National Hunt Chase – hopefully it works out perfect.

“He should fit the race well and I think he stays well, hopefully it will be the further the better with him. For a novice he jumps very well as well.

“It’s nice to go to Cheltenham with one that we think has a live chance.”