Cheltenham Festival 2019: Coo Star Sivola fit for Ultima Handicap Chase defence, says Lizzie Kelly

Exclusive: Kelly became the first professional female rider to win at Cheltenham last year with Coo Star Sivola, and she says she's primed to win it again

Lizzie Kelly is confident Coo Star Sivola can retain its Ultima Handicap Chase crown at the Cheltenham Festival despite concerns over a lack of action this season.

The Nick Williams-trained horse won this race last year ahead of a competitive field but has only raced four times since.

Its last outing was a disappointing show at Cheltenham in December, which raised concerns over its fitness.

Last year’s triumph was a controlled performance. The 5/1f tracked the leaders and Kelly timed a late attack to perfection to see it home and became the first professional female rider to win at Cheltenham.

“I’m hoping for that to happen again this year. He’s good a good shout,” Kelly told The Independent.

“He hasn’t been seen an awful lot on the course this year he won the race last year and there’s no real reason why he couldn’t win again on paper. But like all these things there’s that element of needing luck in running.

“Last year we had a really smooth journey round and everything fell into place at the right time and that’s what we call luck in running, where everything happens when you want it to happen.”

Coo Star Sivola is by no means favourite to win and faces competition from Give Me A Copper, Minella Rocco and Mister Whitaker in a packed field.

Lizzie Kelly rode Coo Star Sivola to victory at Cheltenham in 2018 (Getty)

Give Me A Copper leads the betting at but is a questionable favourite with serious concerns over a lack of experience. In its three runs since its last win in April 2017, the Paul Nicholls-trained horse has unseated its rider, finished first in a two-horse race and came fourth in an underwhelming ride at Sandown.

What’s stopping Coo Star Sivola being given shorter odds than 10/1 are reasonable concerns about her fitness. It comes into the race without a prep run and on the back of a disappointing result at Cheltenham in December. However, Kelly said she is happy with how it’s been schooling and revealed the lack of preparation could be an advantage in the 3m1f chase.

“I’m personally happy with him,” she said. “He hasn’t had a lot of runs this year but you then have the benefit of going into a race with a fresh horse after winter and funnily enough this winter there was a lot better ground everywhere where it has been in the past.

“In the past, you have been looking at something that’s soft and mud through winter. I’m really happy and I did a last bit of schooling with him recently he felt brilliant, genuinely good. He’s quite a sluggish horse at home, he’s really enthusiastic and up for it, I’m looking forward to getting back on him.”

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