Martin would like rain at Newcastle ahead of Amigos Eider option

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Nicky Martin has an eye on the Eider Chase at Newcastle for her Welsh Grand National winner The Two Amigos.

The gelding prevailed by a length and a quarter in the Chepstow staying event, relishing the soft conditions to defeat Joe Tizzard’s The Big Breakaway on December 27.

His next outing was due to be the Grand National Trial at Haydock on Saturday, but dry weather produced good to soft ground that Martin decided would have been too quick for her 11-year-old.

Newcastle are currently describing their turf as good to soft, soft in places, more suitable conditions for The Two Amigos and ground that leaves him likely to take up his entry in the race.

“He’s been confirmed for the Eider on Saturday because the ground has gone good, good to soft. Hopefully they’ll get a bit more rain and then we can go there,” Martin said.

The Two Amigos on his way to Welsh Grand National glory
The Two Amigos on his way to Welsh Grand National glory (David Davies/PA)

“I didn’t know if I’d make a mistake (in not running at Haydock), but I was talking to Charlie Longsdon and he said it was genuinely good to soft, so I don’t think it would have been quite soft enough for him to be honest.

“He is just very ground dependent, pretty much all of my horses like soft ground. We’ve had a lot of rain and we’re heavy here at the farm, but I think we’re the only people who’ve had any!

“The Eider should suit him, it’s four miles and he’s done that before. He’s never been to Newcastle before and nor have I, actually, so hopefully we’ll have a good day and it’ll all go well.”

Other entries for the race include Christian Williams’ Kitty’s Light, the Ann Hamilton-trained Bavington Bob, Nicky Richards’ Houston Texas and and Eva’s Oskar from Tim Vaughan’s yard.

The Galloping Bear is entered for Ben Clarke and Evan Williams is represented by Dans Le Vent, whereas Oliver Signy has French Paradoxe on the list and Phil Kirby has put forward the versatile hurdler-chaser Bushypark.

Scriptwriter’s owner Adams will be back on more familiar ground this weekend

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Prominent owner Mark Adams hopes it will be ‘downhill’ all the way for Scriptwriter in Saturday’s Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton.

The Milton Harris-trained four-year-old is among Britain’s top hopes for the JCB Triumph Hurdle, despite having his colours narrowly lowered by Comfort Zone in the trial at Cheltenham last month.

A Group Three performer for Aidan O’Brien on the Flat, Harris shrewdly purchased the Churchill gelding and he won on all three starts for the Warminster handler before going down by three-quarters of a length to the Joseph O’Brien-trained Comfort Zone.

Adams, who also co-owns the likes of last season’s Adonis Hurdle and Aintree’s Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle winner Knight Salute, and last season’s Grand National ninth Jacamar, hopes Scriptwriter can bounce back in the Grade Two contest at the Sunbury track.

“He’s well and we are looking forward to the Adonis and seeing how we got from there,” said Adams.

“I have a lot of faith in the horse, so we have high hopes.”

On Sunday, Harris was in St Moritz to see the Middleham Park-owned Mordred finish unplaced in the Evangelos Pistiolis Foundation – 83rd Grosser Preis von St Moritz, a local Group Two contest on the ‘White Turf’, which was reduced to four furlongs because of melting snow.

The Warminster handler was also an interested bystander as Adams took part in Skijoring, a winter sport in which a person on skis is pulled by a horse, dogs or a motor vehicle.

“It has not gone to plan so far,” said Harris. “Mark got taken out at the start by another horse on Sunday and there’s often a bit of carnage in it. It is not for the faint-hearted.”

Skijoring races span three consecutive weekends and not being one to shirk a challenge, Adams is keen to return for some unfinished business next year.

“I was a bit banged up and bruised last week, but not this weekend,” said the owner.

“I got taken out at the start. One of the other drivers couldn’t control their horse when he came out of the stalls and took me off the track in the wrong direction.

“I managed to turn my horse around, but they wouldn’t let me join in the race. It was disappointing.

“This is the first time I’ve done it, I’ve just got my licence to race this year.

“Milton had been talking about it for a few years. I ride horses as well and kind of put the two together, but I came out and didn’t quite realise how big an event this is.

“I haven’t quite made my mind up if I will do it next year, but I feel a bit frustrated this year and a bit unfulfilled.

“So I am probably going to have to come back next year and have a go.”

Adams quipped: “Milton will probably give me a shove, regardless. I don’t think he’d do it – I’m not sure they’d find a horse big enough to tow him!”

Coltor carrying hopes of Cheltenham success for Nick Bradley Racing

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Nick Bradley and Roger Fell are mostly associated with winners on the Flat, but they are planning an audacious raid on the Cheltenham Festival with ex-Dermot Weld inmate Coltor.

Fifth in the Boodles Fred Winter at Prestbury Park when trained by Weld in 2021, the dual-purpose six-year-old won four times for the legendary Irish handler while housed at Rosewell House, before switching the Curragh for North Yorkshire at a cost of 25,000 guineas last autumn.

A fact-finding mission on the Flat identified the son of Free Eagle requires further than the minimum two miles these days and the plan was hatched to target either the Coral Cup or Pertemps Final at the Festival next month.

Having qualified for the longer of the two races by finishing a close-up second at Musselburgh recently – with Rendlesham winner Wakool back in fourth – Bradley suggests the Pertemps could be the perfect spot for his rare jumps runner unless conditions dictate dropping back in distance.

“We took him for a spin at Kempton on the all-weather to learn a little bit and Tom Marquand rode him. He said there is no way in the world he is a two-mile hurdler,” explained the managing director of Nick Bradley Racing.

“If you look in Ireland they were using various types of headgear, which I’m not a fan of. So we took it all off, went back to basics over two miles on the Flat to get him from 85 per cent fit to 100 per cent fit, so we could go to Musselburgh for the Pertemps qualifier.

“My assistant is called Lewis Poskitt and he needs all the credit as he spotted the race. We were thinking Musselburgh or the Haydock race and obviously we qualified by finishing second anyway so didn’t need to run at Haydock.”

He went on: “That was a great run and he’s come out of the race fine and now he is being put away for a run in either the Pertemps or the Coral Cup. He will probably go for the Pertemps, but if it comes up soft or heavy then it would be Coral Cup.

“The horse who finished behind us at Musselburgh won the Rendlesham and I think we go there with a massive chance.”

It would not be the first time Bradley has enjoyed success at the Festival as he was the man responsible for purchasing Junior on behalf of Middleham Park Racing for £35,000 before he went on to strike at both Royal Ascot and then by a whopping 24-lengths in the Kim Muir while trained by David Pipe.

Nick Bradley speaks to a jockey at Beverley
Nick Bradley speaks to a jockey at Beverley (Mike Egerton/PA)

“Years ago I bought a horse called Junior who won at Royal Ascot and the Cheltenham Festival,” continued Bradley.

“He had the widest winning margin at the Festival until Tiger Roll beat him the other year. He is one I’ve enjoyed success with before.”

Meanwhile, with the start of the Flat turf season just over a month away, Bradley and Fell are targeting Doncaster’s SBK Lincoln with another of their new recruits, Toshizou.

Formerly trained by Joseph O’Brien, he is a best price of 33-1 for the prestigious season-opening handicap and Bradley believes his odds offer real value judged on his best form in Ireland.

He added: “If you watch his two runs last year – the run at the start of the season was really good, he was just too far back. Then he was sent off favourite next time and I thought he ran fine that day but came back lame.

“We got him going early January and we’re on target for the Lincoln. At the moment he might need a little help to get in, but it’s a race that will cut up plenty.

“He will go and have his first away day in about 10 days and we don’t know levels of ability or anything like that at present, but based on the form of his first run in 2022, he was a very well-handicapped horse then and I told all the owners to back him at 40-1 for the Lincoln a few weeks ago. I don’t know what price he is now, but he was definitely the wrong price at 40-1.

“The horse has done everything right so far, but March will be the month we find out more.”

Nicholls fears Cheltenham woe for Lorcan Williams over whip

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Paul Nicholls fears he will be without jockey Lorcan Williams for the Cheltenham Festival after the rider apparently contravened the new whip rules at Haydock on Saturday.

Williams prevailed by a short head aboard Makin’yourmindup in a driving finish to the Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle, but Nicholls believes the rider had committed a whip offence in the process.

New rules surrounding whip use were introduced last Monday, with a tougher penalty structure for breaches, starting at a four-day suspension for going above the permitted seven strikes.

Nicholls indicated Williams had gone above that threshold, with the race’s Grade Two status ensuring any penalties would be doubled under the new regulations, with the champion trainer claiming the rider is expecting 16 days on the sidelines.

However, the Ditcheat team must wait until the whip review committee meets on Tuesday to have any punishment confirmed and with suspensions implemented seven days later, any ban for Williams would not begin until March 7/8, which would rule him out of Cheltenham if the jockey’s prediction is right.

Nicholls told Betfair: “I think Lorcan has got himself into some hot water under these new whip rules. My understanding and his understanding, but it’s got to be confirmed on Tuesday when the whip review panel meets, he thought he was going to get 16 days which would rule him out of Cheltenham which is tough really.

“It’s one of those situations, he said if he hadn’t given him a couple of cracks, he wouldn’t have won. What was he to do, drop his hands and get beat? This is where there’s a grey area and it’s difficult.

“I don’t what the outcome is, but it looks like he’s going to have to sit out Cheltenham which is terribly sad.”

Any whip suspensions incurred this week would come into effect during Cheltenham week, so Nicholls has warned stable jockey Harry Cobden to keep that in mind over the coming days.

Harry Cobden and Paul Nicholls are on red-alert over the whip
Harry Cobden and Paul Nicholls are on red-alert over the whip (David Davies/PA)

He added: “Harry is going to have to be careful – this is the week the lads have got to be careful, up to and including the weekend, because if you get into trouble, that is when you could well miss Cheltenham.

“The following week, with the structure of the whip review and the dates and that, they’d be OK for Cheltenham. The lads have got to be careful and I’ve already stressed to Harry he’s got to be very careful because we don’t want him missing Cheltenham because that would be a disaster for everyone involved.

“These new whip rules are going to cause a headache, I can see that.”

The British Horseracing Authority underlined no decisions on possible riding offences will be made until the whip review panel meets.

A spokesperson said: “The Whip Review Committee have not yet met to consider referrals from last week. Until they meet to consider the rides then no breaches have occurred and no penalties are decided or imposed, and any suggestion as to possible penalties is pure speculation.”

Louisa Carberry planning dual assault on Auteuil showpiece

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Louisa Carberry will have two arrows to fire at the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris as emerging talent Gran Diose is likely to be aimed at the race alongside dual winner Docteur De Ballon.

Gran Diose has gone from strength to strength since graduating to steeplechasing and in his second year over fences won both the Listed Prix Solitaire and the Grade Three Prix Romati at Compiegne – interspersed with a third-placed run in the Prix Journaliste at the same track.

His comeback in the autumn may have seen him beaten in the Prix de la Gascogne, but with that run under his belt he stepped up to Grade Two level in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Compiegne and was an impressive four-and-a-half-length winner.

At the same grade at Auteuil next time out, the seven-year-old backed up that run with another taking success at Grade Two level, stepping up to two miles and six furlongs in the Prix Georges Courtois and prevailing by a short neck.

Behind him in fifth was Willie Mullins’ Franco De Port, an interesting yardstick to assess the correlating Anglo-Irish form as he is a regular in high-class chases on home turf and was third in the 2022 Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.

The latter race is Gran Diose’s ultimate spring target, the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris being a Grade One event run over three miles and six furlongs at Auteuil in May.

“He’s had a very good winter and obviously the winter in France is kind of a mid-season break, so he’s had a couple of weeks off and he’s back in training,” Carberry said of the six-year-old.

“He should hopefully be running on either March 5 or March 11. He’ll be having a first run back over hurdles to get back into the swing of things, and then run in a chase a month later. It’ll be one of the prep races for the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.

“He won three Graded races last year, including a Grade Two at Auteuil and a Grade Two at Compiegne. He’s shown he’s well up to having a crack at it, so we’re going to prepare him for it to give him every chance to show what he can do. That’s his aim for the spring anyway.”

Gran Diose has followed an almost constant upward trajectory to this stage in his career, one that was been patiently overseen by Carberry as he is a large horse who has taken time to mature.

She said: “He’s been amazing. He’s a big horse, he’s 18 hands and we started off in handicap company because the horse took time to get his full strength and fill into himself. We’ve been really lucky, every time we’ve asked him to go up a level, he’s done it.

“He’s won handicaps, Listed, Grade Threes, Grade Twos. At some point we’ll find out where his limits are but we’re very lucky to have him, he’s an honest horse who gives his all.

“He’s a good jumper, James Reveley knows him very well, he rides him all the time and he’s never stopped answering ‘yes’ to all of our questions.

“He’s seven now, physically and mentally he’s more mature and he’s a great horse to have. His owner-breeders have really enjoyed the journey so far, they’ve been very good to us and to him.”

Carberry’s stable flagbearer in recent seasons has been Docteur De Ballon, a popular 11-year-old gelding who has won eight times for the yard – including two Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris successes and a further Grade One win in the Prix la Haye Jousselin.

The chestnut is back in training after a layoff and will join Gran Diose in treading a path to the Auteuil showpiece.

“He’s back in training and going for one last crack at another Grand Steeple as well, if we can keep him safe and sound,” Carberry said.

“The idea is to run him at the end of March or the beginning of April, have one prep run over hurdles and if he stays in good order, is looking well and is showing the same spark as he has in the past, he’s also going to be aimed at the Grand Steeple this year.

“With horses, anything can happen but at the moment he’s very well, very supple. He’s still got all of the enthusiasm that he always did for his job, I guess time will tell how it pans out for him but for both of them that is their aim. That’s what we’re training them for, a crack at the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.”

Though being aimed at the same race, Gran Diose and Docteur De Ballon are different both physically and mentally and share only the same enthusiasm for racing that has served them well throughout their careers so far.

Carberry said: “They are very different horses, Docteur is small and orange, Gran Diose is big and black!

“Gran Diose is a very sensitive horse whereas Docteur is pretty confident, he thinks he knows everything and he doesn’t need us at all. With Gran Diose you have to hold his hand a little bit, so they’re completely opposite horses – funnily enough. The one thing the two of them really love is their job, they’re very genuine and they go racing and really put their hearts into it.

“They’re very different, but Gran Diose has definitely got himself up to the quality that Docteur was showing. We’re very lucky to have a second horse coming along. Docteur is obviously very special to us and to have another horse coming up to that top level is exciting.

“It’s important for us as well, it’s nice for us to be able show we can hopefully produce another top-class horse and a different type of horse. Both of them we had as newly broken-in horses and it’s nice to have followed both of their careers together. They love their jobs and that is the thing they share – they go to the races and absolutely try their best.”

Hullnback aiming for Aintree honours

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Fergal O’Brien believes top novice hurdler Hullnback would struggle to handle the hustle and bustle of the Cheltenham Festival.

Connections of the six-year-old have therefore decided to bypass the meeting in favour of a return to Aintree, the scene of his runner-up effort in a Grade Two bumper at the Grand National meeting last April.

Hullnback has looked a smart hurdling prospect in each of his three attempts this term, finishing runner-up to Pikar at Chepstow in October and twice winning subsequently.

His defeat of Nemean Lion at Haydock the following month was franked when Kerry Lee’s runner was placed in the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle, and having justified odds of 2-5 at Warwick with ease off a 73-day break last time, O’Brien feels the potential must be nurtured.

“We just feel that Cheltenham would absolutely blow his mind,” said the in-form Withington handler.

“He’s a lovely young horse. He had good form round Aintree last year and he ran well the other day.

“As far as we are concerned, he has his whole career ahead of him, but mentally he is not ready for Cheltenham.”

O’Brien looks set to pit his charge against top-class opposition at Aintree, planning to give him entries in both the Top Novices’ Hurdle and the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle.

He added: “The plan is to go to Aintree. He’ll be put in the two and two-and-a-half-miler. Paddy (Brennan, jockey) and the boys are favouring the two-miler. We’ll enter him in both and see which one he’d have his best chance in.

Hullnback (middle) finished behind Lookaway at Aintree
Hullnback (middle) finished behind Lookaway at Aintree (David Davies/PA)

“We just felt that, all things being equal, there were more negatives than positives to go to Cheltenham.

“He’s young and he’s so very raw it’s not true. I would love to go to Cheltenham and both his owners wanted to go to Cheltenham, but in fairness they left it to myself and Paddy.

“We just felt, to give the horse the best chance going forward, Aintree was better for him.

“We know what we’ve got. When he gets on a lorry and gets to the track, he just turns into a thug.

“We thought Cheltenham in March would be like a cauldron for him to boil over. He could have run his race by the time he got to the bottom of the chute.

“Aintree is shorter walk from the parade ring to the track and he knows it, as he’s been there last year.

“If you saw him at home, you’d think he was a little pet. He loves attention, but he definitely has a bite to him.”

Ballyburn helps Mullins tighten grip on Champion Bumper

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Willie Mullins strengthened his grasp on the Weatherbys Champion Bumper when Ballyburn powered home to land the Hospitality At Festival 2023 (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race at Punchestown.

An impressive winner of his sole point-to-point, he was sent off the 7-4 second-favourite behind Irish Panther in the hands of Patrick Mullins for his rules bow.

Keen throughout when tracking the pace-setting Quantum Storm, the son of Flemensfirth took some time to hit top gear once entering the straight, but had the after-burners switched firmly on at the finish in registering a going-away two-and-a-quarter-length success.

The winner was cut to 7-1 from 14s for the Cheltenham Festival bumper by Paddy Power, which means the Closutton handler is now responsible for five of the top six in the market for the Prestbury Park Grade One he won 12 months ago with Facile Vega.

“It was a very good performance from the horse and jockey. He was too keen the whole way and to produce a run like that after running so keen for a mile and three-quarters showed that he has a lot left in the locker,” said Mullins.

“He’s a horse that we’re really looking forward to going over jumps. He looks a real chaser in the making, however he probably booked a ticket to Cheltenham with that run.

“He looks an exciting recruit for Ronnie Bartlett and David Manasseh, who is a football agent.

“It looked a fair race, in very tough ground.”

Mullins was also on the scoresheet when the Danny Mullins-ridden Hauturiere (5-1) took advantage of favourite Harmonya Maker unseating Jordan Gainford to claim the Listed Apple’s Jade Mares Novice Hurdle

Hauturiere returns after winning the Listed Apple's Jade Mares Novice Hurdle
Hauturiere returns after winning the Listed Apple’s Jade Mares Novice Hurdle (PA)

“It was another fine tactical ride by Danny, I thought,” said Mullins.

“They went off very fast and anything that was up there early on couldn’t stay the pace. It took a lot of getting at that pace and she’s shown us that she’s a stayer.

“She was very keen early on in her career, but now she’s learning how to settle and race.

“She might get an entry in a handicap at Cheltenham or maybe wait for Fairyhouse. We’ll see what sort of rating she gets.

“You could look at the Martin Pipe or Coral Cup.”

Stealthy Tom enhanced Enda Bolger’s fine record in the ARKequine Aquatabs Inline P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase.

Stealthy Tom after winning at Punchestown
Stealthy Tom after winning at Punchestown (PA)

The Howardstown handler has won seven of the last 10 running’s of the this contest with the last four victories all on behalf of leading owner JP McManus.

And it was the green and gold silks that were carried to success once again by Simon Torrens as he came home a length and a quarter clear of 7-2 favourite Singing Banjos aboard the 8-1 shot.

“He ran a lovely race here in the spring. I was giving the other two a better chance because he hadn’t run since last August in Killarney,” said Bolger.

“He got a lovely ride from Simon and he was nice and patient on him. He’s only seven so he’s going to be a nice horse for this game for the future.

“I was happy I had him in today because the other two boys underperformed. He’s found his niche so we’ll stick with these with him.”

A trip to the cross-country equivalent at the Cheltenham Festival is not out of the question for the winner, but it appears that all roads lead back to Kildare track for the La Touche Cup during the Punchestown Festival.

“We’ll see, I’ll talk to the boss and see what they want to do – whether the experience would do him good,” added Bolger.

“Definitely all roads will lead to the La Touche with him and he would go on nicer ground as well which is a plus for the spring meeting.

“Cheltenham is a pretty hot race and we have to see where Galvin is going to appear as well. We’re only rated 105 but he excels over those.

“He hadn’t run for a while so we’ll see how he comes out of this and make a decision. The entries don’t close for a couple of weeks anyway. He’d be the only one for it.”

Torrens was also aboard Patrick Foley’s Verdant Place (5-2 favourite) when winning the David Trundley Artist At Punchestown Handicap Hurdle.

Postmark stamps likely Boodles ticket in Newbury victory

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Milton Harris will give Postmark one more run before a crack at the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, after a cosy victory at Newbury on Sunday.

The four-year-old, who is part-owned by former West Ham and Bournemouth manager Harry Redknapp, was a useful handicapper on the Flat – including winning in the Racing League under Frankie Dettori – yet was a little disappointing on his hurdling bow when seventh of nine at Kempton over Christmas.

However, Mitch Bastyan’s mount proved a different proposition on his second attempt, drawing away after the last in the Bloomfields Horseboxes Presents The Raceline Professional Maiden Hurdle to beat three rivals by five and a half lengths and upwards, the good to firm ground putting him in a better light.

Speaking from St Moritz, Harris said of his 11-8 favourite: “He is a nice horse and I expected him to win today. He just didn’t like that ground last time at Kempton.

“I know the race cut up a bit, but the second horse (Up For Appeal) might be a nice horse.

“He is only a four-year-old. We just might look at giving him another quick run and consider then going for the Boodles. We have to have three runs before going there. I think he is a nice horse.”

Few horses in training are as consistent as Mortlach and he rewarded owners Richard Hames and Doug Pocock with a seventh success since April last year, taking the Stewart Wright Memorial Novices’ Handicap Chase by four and three-quarter lengths under Paddy Brennan.

The 11-10 favourite had finished runner-up on four occasions – including in the Grade Two Rising Stars Novices’ Chase at Wincanton – and was third in both the John Francome and the Kauto Star, since last scoring at Kelso in October.

Fergal O’Brien is not ruling Mortlach out of the Cheltenham Festival
Fergal O’Brien is not ruling Mortlach out of the Cheltenham Festival (David Davies/PA)

Trainer Fergal O’Brien feels there is still an outside possibility the eight-year-old will line up in either the Sporting Life Arkle Trophy or the Turners Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

He said: “I’m just delighted for Mortlach. He has been a good servant.

“When he runs in these big races, like he did at Christmas, he’s always trying his best and if Paddy feels he can’t win, then he kind of looks after him.

“He’s been so consistent – he turns up every week and he’s had plenty of races and he’s done us proud.

“He loves racing and he’s very straightforward. He spends most of his time in his field, eating what little grass is there.

“We might probably head to Kempton next Saturday with him. Two miles is probably short for him, so we’ll see him better over two and a half.

“You’d be a brave man to presume he won’t go to Cheltenham, especially where Paddy is concerned.

“Last year the Turners cut up and you just never say never. That’s why he has got those entries. You just don’t know who will turn up. We are having such a dry spell, you just never know.”

Favourite-backers were also on cloud nine when Cloud Dancer justified his 6-4 odds in taking the Bloomfields Horseboxes Presents The Raceline Professional Junior “National Hunt” Hurdle under Niall Houlihan.

The Gary Moore-trained runner, making his hurdling debut, stayed on well after the last in the extended two-mile heat to score by five and a half lengths.

Flying Nun (7-2 favourite) put two lacklustre runs at Hereford behind her to plunder the three-mile Byerley Stud Mares’ Handicap Hurdle for Emma Lavelle, while there was a walkover for Dalamoi in the novices’ Limited Handicap Chase when sole rival Quick Draw was withdrawn because of the quick ground.

Family Business (9-4) was far from fluent on the first circuit of the Kevin & Karen Waller’s 60th Birthday Handicap Chase, yet warmed to the task when pulled out down the back straight by Gavin Sheehan.

The Richard Hobson-trained six-year-old soon had his two opponents in trouble turning for home and went on to score by eight lengths.

Coko Beach is Aintree-bound again following Punchestown win

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Coko Beach looks to have booked a return to Aintree having led home a Gordon Elliott one-two-three in the QuinnBet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Punchestown.

Fourth to stablemate Death Duty in this 12 months ago, the eight-year-old went on to finish a well-held eighth behind Noble Yeats in the Randox Grand National two runs later and could now follow a similar path having found the scoresheet for the first time since February 2021.

The classy grey arrived at the Kildare track on the back of a respectable fourth in the Thyestes at Gowran last month and was sent off the shortest of the four Cullentra House representatives at 7-1.

Never far from the pace in the hands of Ben Harvey, he edged his way to the front travelling with plenty of zest at four out.

Sam Curling’s 15-8 favourite Angels Dawn was also moving menacingly into contention and looked a real threat when moving to Coko Beach’s tail three out.

However, the race was soon over as a contest when Angels Dawn unshipped Cian Quirke at the second-last and all that the blinkered Coko Beach had to do was burn off the retreating Stones And Roses and storm up the straight for a commanding five-and-a-half-length success over the defending champion Death Duty, with Defi Bleu the bronze medallist a further half length back.

Both Paddy Power and Betfair went 33-1 from 66s for the Grand National on April 15, and Elliott confirmed Aintree was on the agenda.

He said: “We said we’d ride him a little bit more restrained today, just take our time a little bit more as we’ve been making a lot of use of him lately.

“I thought he ran a good race, he jumped well and he said when he got to the front he didn’t do a stroke. He gave the last a big jump and it’s nice to win it.

“I’d imagine he’ll go to Aintree, there’s not much at Cheltenham for him. I’d imagine they’ll all be heading towards the Nationals, English and Irish.

Coko Beach, here ridden by Jonjo O’Neill Jr in action during the Randox Grand National in 2022, is on course for a return to Aintree
Coko Beach, here ridden by Jonjo O’Neill Jr in action during the Randox Grand National in 2022, is on course for a return to Aintree (Mike Egerton/PA)

“The winner runs his race all the time and is a grand horse. He finished eighth in the National last year and was right there until the third-last.

“Death Duty ran well, he said he would have been bang there only for missing the fourth- and third-last.

“He’s a good horse but he’s not easy to train”

Loughderg Rocco absence is blow for Laura Morgan

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Promising chaser Loughderg Rocco has been ruled for the rest of the season through injury.

The son of Shirocco overturned the odds-on Unexpected Party, who was third in Grade One company behind Arkle favourite Jonbon previously, at Leicester in December.

But any plans of a return to Cheltenham, where he was fifth in the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle behind Blazing Khal in December 2021, have had to be scrapped by trainer Laura Morgan.

The seven-year-old, owned by the Newark Castle Partnership, was as short as 10-1 for next month’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Festival.

“He won’t be going as he has picked up a little injury unfortunately. It is a bit disappointing for us,” said Morgan.

“He won well at Leicester, but we will have to give him a bit of time now. Unfortunately, it is just one of those things.

“It is nothing major, but we wouldn’t want to rush him.

“He will probably have a break now and have the summer off. He is too nice to go and wreck him, so you are best to err on the side of caution.”

Unbeaten chaser Notlongtillmay could still provide the yard with a presence at the meeting.

The Alan Rogers-owned gelding has won all three starts over fences including two impressive victories at Musselburgh on his last two starts.

Morgan is still pondering options for the seven-year-old, who is a general 33-1 chance for the Grade One Turners Novices’ Chase and 16-1 for the Grand Annual.

Morgan added: “Notlongtillmay might possibly run in the Grand Annual, but there wouldn’t be much else. Loughderg Rocco’s injury is a bit of a gutter, but it is what it is.”

Meanwhile, Percussion, who has twice been placed over the unique Grand National fences, is being primed for another trip to Aintree.

Third in the respective Grand Sefton and Becher Chases in November and December, Percussion was then fifth to Annsam in a three-mile Kempton handicap.

Morgan hopes the Evan-Robert Hanbury-owned eight-year-old can lift his official rating next time, with a return to the Liverpool track in mind.

“We are hoping that Percussion is placed or might win one, so his mark will go up slightly and then he might go for the Topham,” she added.

“The owners are quite keen to go to Aintree. He should be out in the next two weeks.”