Rowley's Aspirations for Cheltenham Win Following Triumph over Challenges

Four months back, Mel Rowley found herself amidst the turmoil of Storm Babet, watching her aspirations slip away. However, now, the Shropshire trainer is setting her sights on Pertemps Final glory with Kyntara at Cheltenham.

Rowley is no stranger to success at the Festival, with her husband Philip guiding Hazel Hill to victory in the St James’s Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup in 2019. However, Kyntara, currently priced at 12-1 with Sky Bet for Thursday’s three-mile handicap hurdle, offers her the best chance of securing a win under her own name since obtaining her professional licence at the family’s Poplar Cottage Farm.

Kyntara may be accompanied to the Cotswolds by a recent Doncaster winner Raffle Ticket, who is entered in the Trustatrader Plate. However, the stable’s consistent hurdler, who started the season with wins at Lingfield and Aintree and has narrowly missed out on a couple of competitive races, would be the main hope if the ground is soft.

"We've confirmed both entries, but unfortunately, the ground conditions might favour one over the other. Nonetheless, we're pleased with their form, and we'll have to monitor how the week progresses,"

Rowley remarked.

"Kyntara is a definite starter, so he's the frontrunner for now, but plans could change based on ground conditions. The softer the ground, the better for him. We've been extremely satisfied with his performances this season. He's certainly earned his place at Cheltenham, and it would be wonderful to see him triumph up that hill."

Among the Rowley family's many talents is their renowned pre-training programme, with Sprinter Sacre being one of their most notable graduates. Kyntara himself was a product of Poplar Cottage before joining Kim Bailey at the start of his professional career. His return to Bridgnorth signifies the eight-year-old, owned by Lady Dulverton, coming full circle ahead of what could be his most significant challenge yet.

"It's a fairy tale scenario, and we've had a long-standing relationship with the owners,"

Rowley added.

"We had Kyntara when he was just three, then he moved elsewhere, and now he's back with us. It would be absolutely fantastic if he could secure a victory. We can only dream. Since his return to us, he has come a long way. His Cheltenham appearance is a fantastic achievement on all fronts."

She continued,

"We're a small but dedicated team, and competing at Cheltenham is always a special occasion. It's incredibly thrilling to have a competitive runner at such a prestigious event. Anything can happen in the lead-up, but if all goes well, we'll be heading to Cheltenham next Thursday."

Last October, Rowley's yard suffered the brunt of Storm Babet, causing widespread devastation across the country. Poplar Cottage bore the brunt of the flooding, with water seeping into the yard from a nearby stream, resulting in parts of the gallop and schooling grounds being submerged.

Thanks to a timely intervention by a local company, the Rowley team managed to remain operational. Despite enduring one of the worst winters in over two decades at Poplar Cottage, they are taking away positives from the challenging period.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Rowley stated,

“They say every cloud has a silver lining, and that was an absolute nightmare – it was complete chaos, to be honest. We reached out to a local gentleman who specialises in groundworks, and he arrived with a team of incredibly helpful individuals who helped us rebuild and get back on track."

"Having seen the operations and the team, he was impressed and decided to sponsor us. So, from a challenging situation, a positive outcome emerged, and we're delighted to have him on board as our sponsor."