WILTSHIRE trainer Neil Mulholland has warned ground conditions will dictate which race Shantou Village contests at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Grade Two-winning hurdler holds six entries across the four-day meeting, including in the RSA Chase and the JLT Novices' Chase.

Shantou Village, who was pulled up when sent off favourite in last year's Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, won his first two starts over fences but has not been sighted since he fell in a Grade Two at Wincanton in November.

Mulholland, based at Conkwell Grange Stables near Bradford on Avon, said: "We will see what the ground is like. It is all weather dependent and it will definitely be the ground that makes the decision.

"He will either go for one of the novice races or the two-mile-five handicap (Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate).

"The two-mile-five handicap might be the way forward.

"When you look at the novice races, he hasn't got a lot to find. He has only got 4lb or 5lb to find.

"We didn't go to Fontwell again as he just wasn't sparkling. Hopefully the spring weather and better ground might make the difference.

"Last year he was a bit of a talking horse and we ran him against Yanworth.

"Running against Yanworth was a mistake on heavy ground. He then got struck into, which was the reason why he pulled up in the Albert Bartlett."