Go back to the 2024 Epsom Derby, and the race was won by City of Troy, an excellent horse for the Aidan O’Brien team.

In second place was Ambiente Friendly, who backed up his win in the Lingfield Derby Trial before that run.

The win at Lingfield was actually the last time he had won a race, before Sunday, that is. On Sunday, he won a Novice Hurdle at Huntingdon to finally get his head back in front.

Now, with that under his belt, trainer James Owen is looking forward to the Cheltenham Festival.

County Hurdle Lined Up for Ambiente Friendly

Twice a runner over hurdles, Ambiente Friendly was fourth at Cheltenham on his first start, before winning a less competitive race over the weekend at Huntingdon.

Still raw and learning the ropes over hurdles, he’s now set to have a small break, as soft ground is not to his liking.

But when he returns, it will be the biggest week of the year for jump racing, where he’ll be targeted, after already running in the biggest race on the flat.

The County Hurdle, fiercely competitive and a race where you need a very well handicapped runner, has been named as his long-term target.

For those unfamiliar, handicaps in horse racing are races in which horses are assigned different weights based on ability to try and level the playing field across all competitors.

PLOT TWIST 🟨⬜️⬛️

Ambiente Friendly, second to City Of Troy in the 2024 Derby, rallies late on to get off the mark over hurdles.

That did NOT look likely when he was headed two out.@JPOwenRacing | @gredley pic.twitter.com/wFGXiaW7Ac

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 7, 2025

While ambitions are lofty, it’s certainly a race that will suit him down to the ground. Two miles is his trip, but he needs horses around him to go lightning quick, replicating flat racing, and that’s something we often see in Cheltenham handicaps.

He will need to be better over his hurdles, but after just two runs, that can be expected to happen, and I’m sure they’ll get at least one run in him before the festival.

But with James Owen, he has a trainer who knows what he’s doing with hurdlers that don’t have much experience, so he is undoubtedly in good hands in terms of being prepared for the day.

While most of his current success has been with three-year-old horses going hurdling, Owen clearly knows what he’s doing and is becoming a man in demand.

Realistic Aim or Social Runner?

We know the plan, but is it a realistic one? Well, whatever the handicapper gives Ambiente Friendly, he’s going to be well handicapped if you draw a line through his flat form and strictly take the figures.

Rated 105 on the flat, he’d need to be 140+ over hurdles, to make it level, and there’s no way he deserves that kind of mark.

So, for those on the positive side, he’s well handicapped based on his flat mark, and he will definitely get the ideal run race to suit his style.

But of course, there are negatives. Two hurdles runs, so little experience, one minor win, a loss at Cheltenham, he does need to show more before the festival, if he wants to carry my money.

If he makes it, and I certainly hope he does, then he’ll definitely add intrigue, and let’s not forget, his trainer knows how to get a hurdler spot on for the big day at Cheltenham.