Pauling: Cheltenham still very much our aim with Diva Luna

The Cheltenham Festival will be next for Diva Luna, providing Ben Pauling wins his race against time to prepare his exciting novice for an outing in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase.

Third in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at National Hunt racing’s premier meeting 12 months ago, the seven-year-old has excelled since sent chasing this season, wowing on debut in a Bangor Listed event before striking again at that level in fine style at Warwick in the Lady Godiva.

Pauling had intended to run Diva Luna in the Grade One Scilly Isles at Sandown in late January, but she suffered an untimely setback which means it is now full focus on a trip to Prestbury Park in March for a race for which she is as short as 8-1 with the bookmakers.

“She’s in good form and working away again now and it will be very much our aim to get her to Cheltenham,” said Pauling.

“If she wasn’t to get to Cheltenham for any reason, we would look forward to Aintree and the two-and-a-half-mile novice chase.

“It would be straight to Cheltenham and there isn’t time to squeeze a prep run in now, which is not an issue with her as she’s very easy to get right.”