Up and coming jockey Danny McMenamin is champing at the bit to take on Honeysuckle with Tommy's Oscar in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Last season's Champion Conditional Jockey cannot wait to take the stars of hurdling on with Ann and Ian Hamilton's progressive gelding in the Grade 1 marquee event on March 15.

The seven-year-old Oscar gelding has steadily progressed to become a top British contender for the two miles, half a furlong test at Cheltenham . After securing a hat-trick of victories in handicap company, Tommy's Oscar showed his Champion Hurdle potential with a five-length success in Haydock's Champion Hurdle Trial last month.

Although a further step up in class is required to worry the stellar line-up which includes the 2020 heroine Epatante, McMenamin believes Tommy's Oscar may still have more to come.
McMenamin, 21, said: "Tommy's Oscar has not put a foot wrong to be fair. First time out at Wetherby he was probably a little bit too keen and he didn't really settle, but he has not taken a wrong step since.
"I missed two wins on him due to injury, but it was still nice to see him progress and then take that next step forward again at Haydock. We were hoping going there that we would come away with the win, but he completely surprised us with the way he did it.
"He did need to put in a performance like that to show his Champion Hurdle credentials, but to be fair we were probably going to have a crack anyway as how many times are you going to have a horse with a chance of running in the Champion Hurdle?"
He went on: "I'm not saying it is going to happen, but to ride my first winner at the Festival in the Champion Hurdle really would be the icing on the cake. It would be unreal and as a kid it is the stuff you dream of. If he finishes in the top six, you'd be over the moon."
Tommy's Oscar has been campaigned mainly on flat tracks, but the Penrith-based jockey is hopeful he will cope with both the occasion at Cheltenham and with the undulations on the course.
"Early doors he should be grand at Cheltenham, but it will be when the taps get turned on coming down the hill that we will know if he handles the track or not," McMenamin added.
"He is up against the big boys and girls now like Honeysuckle and Epatante. They deserve respect and we will give them that, but at the same time I've got to give my lad a chance and hopefully he can reward us."