Thorney trainer has a star mare lined up for the big National Hunt festivals

Eileendover is currently priced at 10/1 joint second favourite for the Champion Bumper, a race run on the flat without hurdles, at the prestigious Cheltenham Festival in March.

But Sly may hold back her four year-old mare for the Aintree Grand National meeting the following month.

Eileendover is a granddaughter of Sly’s Speciosa, the winner of the 2006 1,000 Guineas on the flat. Eileendover made it three wins out of three this season with an impressive victory at Market Rasen last weekend.

Sly told Racing TV: “That was good, wasn’t it? Very good.

“I thought ‘Oh my god, she’s never going to get there’, but she just found another gear didn’t she? She just took off and flew.

“I’ve had a lot of offers for her, but she’s not for sale. She’s not going anywhere! She’s a proper, proper mare.

“I have got a lot of time to think about (where to send her next) ,but I don’t think it will be Cheltenham.

“I’m just not a Cheltenham fan, I know it’s a prestige thing and a big festival, but we don’t have to go there.

“It’s more likely to be the Listed mares’ bumper at Aintree or if she takes to the stalls I might find something for her on the Flat, but I don’t know what yet.

“She won’t run anywhere before the spring anyway. She’ll definitely have a break now.”

Eileendover was 11/8 favourite at Market Rasen and cruised home by six-and-a-lengths beating her main market rival, Grangee, trained by legendary Irish trainer Willie Mullins into third place.