Jack Jones’ An Bradan Feasa looks to take the next step in his promising hurdling career at Musselburgh on Sunday.

The four-year-old was previously trained by Joseph O’Brien before making his debut for new connections at Cheltenham in November, where he chased home James Owen’s highly-regarded Burdett Road in a Grade Two Triumph Hurdle Trial.

His next outing was a return to the same track the following month, where he contested a lesser Triumph trial and prevailed by three lengths as the favourite.

The Fred Winter at the Festival has always been the goal for An Bradan Feasa and he will prepare for that with a run in the bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle this weekend, a Listed contest for four-year-olds.

“He had a quiet week or 10 days after Cheltenham and then we got him back into his work, he’s had a mini break but this has always been the aim from a long way,” said Jones.

“He’s fit, well and happy, he’s schooled a couple of times and Tom (Bellamy) is going to come and school him tomorrow morning for the finishing touches and then he’ll travel up Saturday.

“He’s all good to go, Musselburgh looks a suitable opportunity and we’re very happy with him.

“I’m pleased we managed to schedule a little break in and he’ll go out there with a very good chance. The Paul Nicholls horse (Liari) is level with us on ratings, so it should be between the two of them, without being overconfident.”

Of his Cheltenham aspirations, the trainer added: “We’re aiming for the Fred Winter, and we’ll enter him in the Triumph, but we’re keeping expectations sensible and the owners are agreed on that one.

“We’ve always been working back from the Fred Winter.”

Trainer Jack Jones can justifiably dream of Cheltenham Festival glory after his star juvenile An Bradan Feasa ran out a decisive winner of the JCB Triumph Trial at Prestbury Park.

Successful on his hurdling debut at Ballinrobe in September for Joseph O’Brien, the three-year-old subsequently moved across the Irish Sea to join Newmarket-based Jones in the autumn.

An Bradan Feasa made a promising debut for his new connections when second to leading Triumph Hurdle contender Burdett Road at Cheltenham last month, and he was a 5-4 shot to go one better four weeks on in the hands of Tom Bellamy.

Dan Skelton’s Kourosh, a runaway winner on his British bow at Wetherby, set out to make all the running in the two-mile-one-furlong contest, and had built up a clear lead halfway down the back straight.

However, the market leader bridged the gap before the home turn and appeared to be getting the better of the argument when Kourosh crashed out at the final flight.

His exit left An Bradan Feasa in the clear racing up the hill and he kept galloping to score by three lengths from the staying-on Balboa.

“It is unreal,” said Jones. “I’ve been coming here for as long as I can remember. To have a runner here a month ago was the stuff of dreams, and for him to do it like that today, I’m speechless.

“Tom gave him a peach of a ride, he jumped and travelled and he was very push button when Tom wanted to give him an inch. I’m very happy.

“It was his first run for us here in November. It was a serious run considering he had to do most of the donkey work and that horse (Burdett Road) looks a fair animal.

“I’m not sure of the depth of the form today, but he has got his win and for the owners to have a winner here is what they have dreamt of – that is why they got him.”

Betfair cut the winner’s Triumph Hurdle odds to 33-1 from 40-1, but he appears more likely to switch to handicap company at the Festival.

“The Fred Winter (Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle) is what we discussed two or three weeks ago,” Jones added. “He could be 50-1 in a Triumph Hurdle but, although he will go up again today, he would have a competitive enough weight in the Fred Winter.

“He will have a quiet enough time now and will have one more run before March and see where we end up.”

Jack Jones’ An Bradan Feasa will look to add another good Cheltenham run to his CV in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle on Saturday.

The Camelot three-year-old was formerly trained in Ireland by Joseph O’Brien and ran twice for prior connections, once on the Flat and once when winning a Ballinrobe maiden hurdle in September.

He then swapped stables to join Jones in Newmarket, making his debut at Cheltenham in November under Tom Bellamy.

The race was won by the impressive Burdett Road, now highly fancied for the Triumph itself, but there was a great deal to like about An Bradan Feasa’s performance in second.

He returns to Prestbury Park, with Jones hopeful he will take another step en route to the Festival in March.

“He came out of Cheltenham great, he’s a bonny little lad and not a lot bothers him,” said Jones.

“He ran a cracker, having jumped and travelled well, and bumped into a horse who is clearly a good one in Burdett Road.

“The owners were over the moon with that run, we were toying with a few options and it made sense to go back to Cheltenham, having run well over course and distance.

“It’s the owner’s dream and my dream to have a winner there.

“He’s come out of the race great and he’s schooled twice in between, he goes there in really good order.

“We had it in our minds that we’d work back from the Fred Winter and I’d like to think we’d be going there with two good runs (at the track), which will do him no harm at all.”

As he was last time out, Jones’ charge will be ridden by Bellamy, who said: “An Bradan Feasa is a nice horse for a trainer that is going places.

“He did everything right bar win last time, but the right one was in front of us that day, as Burdett Road looks exceptional.

“Although this is on the New course as opposed to the Old one, any form around Cheltenham is a massive plus. He seemed to stay well the last day and he goes there with a live chance.”

An Bradan Feasa is set to meet seven rivals, including Paul Nicholls’ Kabral Du Mathan, who makes his first start on British turf after winning at Clairefontaine in July.

Dan Skelton’s Kourosh also comes into the race in winning form after a 21-length maiden hurdle success at Wetherby in November and so too does Anthony Charlton’s Balboa, who makes his debut for this stable after winning at Chepstow on his final start for Milton Harris.

Jack Jones is dreaming of Fred Winter glory at the Cheltenham Festival with An Bradan Feasa after the three-year-old performed with real credit behind impressive scorer Burdett Road at the November Meeting.

Saddling what was his first runner at National Hunt’s flagship venue, the three-year-old – who was purchased out of Joseph O’Brien’s yard by owners Christopher and Mary-Ann Middleton – put up a fine display for the Newmarket handler, still holding the advantage when turning for home and approaching the last before ultimately having no answer to the blistering acceleration of the current Triumph Hurdle favourite.

An Bradan Feasa stuck on bravely to pick up a silver medal and although initially trying to convince himself there were options away from the Festival, Jones soon began to eye up a return to Prestbury Park in March for the son of Camelot.

“We will be working back from the Fred Winter,” said Jones.

“It makes sense and we have looked at lots of different angles. I did throw in the comment that Cheltenham isn’t the be all and end all, and then the next sentence we kind of agreed we have got to work back from Cheltenham.

“It was so special for me there on Saturday, I’ve been going to Cheltenham since I was a small boy, it is my local track from home and where my racing dream originates from.”

He went on: “Unless he takes a massive step forward, which he could do and he’s only had the two runs, then realistically we will let Burdett Road go and win the Triumph and on all known form we shouldn’t be beating that. There’s nothing we can do about that.

“They gave us 127 and I thought the winner would get 140 and we would get 128, so I wasn’t a million miles off and from having a scroll through the last few years that looks a nice rating for the Fred Winter.

“He’s got course form, touch wood he jumps impeccably and to have runners at Cheltenham, let alone the Cheltenham Festival, is a huge dream of mine. He’s exciting and the good day was topped off by Star Mind winning at Wolverhampton that evening.”

Jones is still to finalise An Bradan Feasa’s route to the Festival but is not short of options and is tinkering with a two-race plan that includes a possible trip north of the border before arriving at Cheltenham in the spring.

He added: “As easy as it is to get excited about races in between, I have to be mindful he is still only a baby and that was only his second ever run. He did have the Flat run, but that was a non-event and Joseph ran him over hurdles only 13 days after his Flat debut.

“So I have to be careful just to mind him and I don’t know where, but I think two runs between now and Cheltenham will be sensible and then we can go to Cheltenham fresh and well.

“We’ve got options and I haven’t looked in-depth. There is a Listed race at Aintree in a couple of weeks or he could just go and try and win a midweek juvenile hurdle with a penalty. My vet and Christopher have both mentioned the Musselburgh Triumph Hurdle Trial as well, so that could be a nice option and it might suit him round there.

“We’ve got a lot of exciting options, but maybe a midweek juvenile, Musselburgh, then the Fred Winter would be the potential route.”

Although predominantly associated with training runners on the Flat, Jones has a strong National Hunt grounding having ridden out for Nicky Henderson during his university days as well as serving as pupil assistant to Kim Bailey and Paul Nicholls before attentions turned to Newmarket and the faster thoroughbreds.

Having thrived with the Middleton’s Our Scholar over obstacles throughout the summer months, the young handler is now relishing the prospect of having a top operator to run over obstacles during the winter.

“He’s only been with me around six weeks and we took him for a racecourse gallop two weeks before Cheltenham. We actually took him with a nice horse called Pleasant Man who ran a week later and he finished fourth in the November Handicap.

“For my first runner at Cheltenham it was some thrill to have him still in front turning in. He jumped impeccably, travelled well and Tom (Bellamy) gave him a good ride. He was jumping himself to the front and he’s got a lovely, gorgeous big stride and Tom did the right thing by letting him use himself.

“I was getting very excited between the second last and the last but we were beaten by a good one and Christopher and Mary-Ann were over the moon. He looks a fun horse not only for this year, but you would hope he would be around for a good few years.”