Teen aims to build on good run at Festival
Greaneteen can signal a successful season ahead with a winning return in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter.
Paul Nicholls' six-year-old won his first three chases as a novice last season, before being pitched into the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival.
He ran a fine race in that notoriously competitive handicap too, beaten little more than five lengths into fourth after making a mistake when short of room at the second-last.
It was a performance which suggested Greanateen was perhaps caught out by inexperience - racing against 17 opponents after meeting only a total of 19 in those three previous victories.
There was no doubt about his potential, though - and his finishing effort up the hill at Cheltenham also suggested the extra furlong at this stiff track will not bother him.
Nicholls has entered Greanateen in this month's Paddy Power Gold Cup back at Prestbury Park, while he has also been mentioned as a leftfield outsider in this season's Queen Mother Champion Chase ante-post market.
His return in Devon is eagerly-awaited, and will doubtless help the multiple champion trainer decide whether middle-distance handicaps or championship races over the minimum trip are the way forward for him.
Either way, he can be expected to acquit himself well in this Grade Two limited handicap which has a rich roll of honour over the years - including Nicholls' own future champion chaser Politologue three years ago and the brilliant stayer Cue Card back in 2012.
Greaneteen will not need to be quite as good as either of them to win what is nonetheless a typically competitive renewal.
The remainder of the card is full of interest too, not least the opening first division of the Kenn Novices' Hurdle - which may fall to Ask A Honey Bee.
Fergal O'Brien's six-yearold has won four of his five races under rules, starting with three successive bumpers before managing only 13th of 23 in the Cheltenham's championship event for that discipline.
He returned with an allthe-way victory on his hurdles debut at Wetherby three weeks ago, displaying great determination to do so and indicating that this move up in trip to a stiff course is the right option.
Dal Horrisgle is a fascinating contender in the Kennford Novices' Hurdle.
Now with Alan King, he was smart on the Flat for William Haggas and was rated 102 at his peak.
He has had a recent spin in that sphere so will be fit for the challenge, and if he takes to hurdles could go close to the top.