The name of trainer Roger Charlton is more synonymous with the classic hosting tracks of flat racing, than it is with Cheltenham the home of National Hunt racing, but the Marlborough based handler will arrive on the Cotswolds with a very strong contender for the Festival Bumper.
The Charlton trained Keys has won all three of his starts under rules and has looked as though he could go right to the top in the process. That said, these things are never a certainty and although he will no doubt attract plenty of Cheltenham 2011 bets, more cautious punters may view him as one for the future and see how he gets on.
The gelding’s most recent win came in a listed event at Cheltenham, were he seemed to thrive on meeting the stiff uphill finish and the victory will no doubt stand him in good stead when it comes to the Cheltenham betting offers.
That race was over a two-furlong shorter trip that the Championship event, but the four-year-old promises to be even better suited by the extra yardage and he may well provide his trainer with another win to add to an already impressive CV.
