'Better ground' will suit Our Conor

Jockey Bryan Cooper is confident better ground will help Our Conor secure him a first Cheltenham Festival success in the Triumph…

Jockey Bryan Cooper is confident better ground will help Our Conor secure him a first Cheltenham Festival success in the Triumph Hurdle.

Unbeaten in three starts over flights to date, Our Conor is currently favourite for the four-year-old championship on the back of an impressive Grade One victory at Leopardstown earlier this month.

All of his wins have come to date on a testing surface but Cooper believes faster ground will aid the Dessie Hughes-trained star.

“We have always thought he will be better on better ground. I hope he proves us right,” the Co Kerry-born rider said yesterday.

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“He has been ticking all the right boxes. He jumps, travels and stays,” Cooper added.

“You have to stay the two miles and one on the New course and every time he has won, he has been going away at the end.”

Our Conor is currently a 9/2 favourite in most ante-post lists for the day four festival highlight.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column