Cheltenham News: Ferguson ponders Mill target

Cotton Mill (right) has a number of options at Cheltenham.

Trainer John Ferguson will decide from three options which race to give Cotton Mill the chance to make up for crashing out in last year's Cheltenham Festival...

Ferguson has to choose from the Champion Hurdle, the Coral Cup and the County Hurdle for the six-year-old, rated 152 by Timeform.

Cotton Mill held a slender lead over eventual winner Simonsig when he made an untimely exit at the second-last flight in the Neptune Investment Management Novice' Hurdle last March.

After failing to stay an extended three miles at Aintree on his only subsequent start last term, Cotton Mill delighted his trainer when finishing second behind My Tent Or Yours in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on his return earlier this month.

"Cotton Mill is in great form. He's in the Coral Cup, he's in the County Hurdle, he's in the Champion Hurdle," said Newmarket-based Ferguson.

"It sounds silly, but we will decide when we have to. We will have to see how everything goes.

"I was thrilled with him at Newbury and he's a smashing, lovely kind horse to have round the place."

Look out for Brand new features with Timeform Race Passes - In-Play Hints, Running Notes & Warning Horses. Find out more at timeform.com.