Tag Archive for: Aintree

Ahoy Senor heading to Aintree if all goes to plan

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Ahoy Senor will head to the Bowl at Aintree should he get over his Cheltenham Gold Cup fall.

The Lucinda Russell-trained eight-year-old was among the top British novice chasers last season, and signed off with a clear-cut win in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree, where he defeated the likes of Grade One winner L’Homme Presse and subsequent King George VI Chase hero Bravemansgame.

Though having found life tougher this term, he bounced back after a disappointing King George run to land the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.

Friday’s return to Prestbury Park was going well as he was full of running when leading the Gold Cup field to five fences from home under Derek Fox, where he got in too close and had a heavy fall.

However, Russell’s assistant and partner, eight-time champion jockey Peter Scudamore, said he is none the worse for the tumble.

“He’s a bit sorry for himself. He’s sound and everything. He is that type of horse. I think he feels almost embarrassed he fell, but he’s well and a couple of days and he’ll be over it. There are no physical issues,” said Scudamore.

“He ran really well. He will probably go to Aintree, God willing. He has got four weeks, so if he can recover from that, he’ll run.

“We’d always felt we’d go to Aintree with him after this. He’s got a week of quiet and a probably a fortnight working, then another quiet week before his race.

“The extra week between the two meetings this year will certainly be a help.”

The defeat was a bitter blow following the high of Corach Rambler taking the Ultima Handicap Chase for a second consecutive year for the yard.

Corach Rambler and Derek Fox on their way to winning the Ultima for a second time
Corach Rambler and Derek Fox on their way to winning the Ultima for a second time (Mike Egerton/PA)

Though the nine-year-old had a hard race in defeating Fastorslow by a neck and scoring for the fourth time in nine attempts over fences, he is still on course for the Randox Grand National on April 15, for which he is as short as 6-1 favourite.

Speaking from Carlisle on Sunday, Scudamore added: “Corach has lost a bit of weight, but I haven’t ridden him yet.

“I spoke to him last night and he’s very pleased with himself. It’s still the Grand National all being well.”

Blazing Khal possible for Aintree or Punchestown

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Blazing Khal could get the chance to bounce back at either Aintree or Punchestown having seen his winning run come to an end at the Cheltenham Festival.

Charles Byrnes’ seven-year-old headed to the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle unbeaten in five and with a glistening CV having scored twice at the track and impressed in the Boyne Hurdle when tuning up for Festival action.

Despite a cut suffered in that Navan victory causing its problems in the build up to his Prestbury Park assignment, Blazing Khal was still a popular choice with punters and was sent off the 9-2 second-favourite for the feature race on day three.

Attempting to follow in the footsteps of Solwhit, who triumphed for Byrnes in the 2013 edition, Blazing Khal was well positioned jumping the second-last and was travelling smoothly for the handler’s son Philip alongside Teahupoo as the field rounded the turn for home.

But whereas Gordon Elliott’s 9-4 favourite would go one to play a significant hand in the finish, Blazing Khal came under pressure approaching the last and then faded up the hill to finish sixth, beaten just over 11 lengths.

He is now set for an easy few weeks to get over his Cheltenham exertions before connections plot their next move – with Byrnes favouring the easier three miles of the JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle Hurdle on Grand National Day (April 15) over the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival (April 27).

“He’s OK. He just didn’t seem to stay up the hill, he got very tired from the last till home,” said Byrnes.

“We’ll give him the chance to get over that for a couple of weeks and then make a plan.

“He’s got two options – he can go to Aintree or he can go to Punchestown. I’m probably favouring Aintree because it is the easier three miles, but we will see in a few weeks.”

Despite winning twice at Cheltenham previously, Blazing Khal disappointed in the Stayers' Hurdle (
Despite winning twice at Cheltenham previously, Blazing Khal disappointed in the Stayers’ Hurdle (Zac Goodwin/PA)

When asked if the interrupted preparations had a baring on Blazing Khal’s performance, Byrnes added: “I’d say it definitely played it’s part, but he just didn’t seem to stay the distance.

“It definitely didn’t help, but that being said he was well beaten and I don’t want to make too many excuses.

“We’ll freshen him up now and try and get another good run out of him.”

National tilt off the agenda now for Hewick after Cheltenham fall

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Hewick will not run in the Randox Grand National after his crashing fall in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon has revealed.

The popular eight-year-old, who shot to prominence when taking the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown in April, was running a storming race in racing’s blue riband and enjoying himself towards the head of the field under Jordan Gainford.

In the process of belying his odds of 40-1 with a tremendous performance, the Galway Plate and American Grand National winner unfortunately came to grief two out.

“We are very proud of the horse and thanks be to God he’s OK. He was going so well,” said Hanlon.

“He always hits a flat spot and he was just after coming out of it, and Jordan was very convinced that, while he might not have beaten the winner, he said, ‘I thought we might have been second’.”

With ground conditions softer than ideal, Hanlon was in two minds about running him against Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame.

He added: “If only the ground was better. He needs good ground and the ground would have been too soft for him, but he gave a goodish account of himself.

“I’d say the ground hasn’t been as soft for seven or eight years on the Friday.

“It was a tough decision to run. We walked the track twice – once at seven o’clock in the morning and again at 11 o’clock – and it was amazing how much it dried out between seven and eleven.

“He’d handle good ground. But in our country it would have been yielding to soft. It was tacky ground.”

Hewick will be given time to overcome his exertions and while Aintree is almost certainly off the agenda, Hanlon has not ruled out bringing him back for a defence of his bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown or the Punchestown Gold Cup.

He said: “He’s good now, thanks be to God. We are happy to have him home because he got an awful fall.

“He won’t go to the National. I would be 99 per cent sure. We’ll see how he is, but he has had such a fall. We’ll probably end up going back to Punchestown for the Gold Cup.

“He’ll have better ground and it’s six weeks from now.”

Hewick, who was purchased for a mere £800, loved the quicker conditions when taking the valuable prize at Sandown’s traditional end-of-season finale last year.

Jockey Jordan Gainford and Shark Hanlon could head back to Sandown
Jockey Jordan Gainford (left) and Shark Hanlon (second left) could head back to Sandown (Nigel French/PA)

While the extended three-mile Grade One Punchestown Gold Cup may be the preferred option, a return to Sandown has not ben ruled out for the gelding who has earned just shy of £400,000 for owner TJ McDonald.

“I wouldn’t mind going back to the bet365 Gold Cup. I will talk to the owners and see,” added Hanlon. “He’ll either go for the (Punchestown) Gold Cup or the bet365 – he’ll go one way or the other.”

The Cheltenham Gold Cup was Hewick’s first run since taking the American National at Far Hills in October and the County Carlow handler felt that while he needed the break, he may navigate another path back to Prestbury Park next season.

Hanlon added: “We will go different next year. We will probably give him a run maybe at the Dublin Festival, because he hadn’t had a run for six months, which was a long time, but I’m not sorry we didn’t give him a run, because he needed his break.

“Listen, we are thrilled with him and everyone got a buzz out of it. He’s the people’s horse, but because of the fall, the National has gone.

“He lives to fight another day and we know we have a good horse. He’s entitled to be there at Cheltenham again next year to have another go.”

Harris looking to Aintree with Triumph absentee Scriptwriter

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Milton Harris will target Aintree with Scriptwriter after he failed to line up in the JCB Triumph Hurdle on Friday due to scoping dirty.

Scriptwriter contested Group races on the Flat for Aidan O’Brien and has become a decent hurdler. In the care of the Wilshire handler, he is one of the leading British juveniles.

Winner of Cheltenham’s Grade Two Triumph Hurdle Trial in November, the four-year-old reverted to the Flat to win at Wolverhampton on his next outing before returning to Cheltenham to find only Comfort Zone too good.

He carried a penalty for his Grade Two success when beaten favourite in the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton and while not near his best, Harris had hoped he would bounce back in the Triumph.

Scriptwriter will now head to Aintree in a bid to emulate Knight Salute, who capped a remarkable juvenile season by landing the Anniversary 4-Y-O Hurdle at the Grand National meeting last year.

“Scriptwriter is fine,” said Harris. “He will now go to the Grade One at Aintree.

“It was just that the scope wasn’t clean, and it was not worth the trouble.

“It’s a pity as I was hopeful he’d run a nice race and show us the form we know he is capable of. We’ll be all right, don’t worry.”

Knight Salute, who was last seen finishing third in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton in November, is still battling to recover from a major injury after an operation the following month.

“He had to have a rotten tooth taken out under anaesthetic and he injured himself getting up after,” said Harris. “He’s obviously out for the season and we’ll do what’s best for him.

“It’s a huge shame, but it shows you how fragile these brilliant animals are.”

Nicholls ‘mighty proud’ of Gold Cup second Bravemansgame

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Paul Nicholls is not ruling out another run this season for Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame.

The eight-year-old and Willie Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs produced a fantastic renewal of the race at Cheltenham on Friday, with the latter horse eventually prevailing by seven lengths after a fantastic battle from the last fence.

There are a limited number of options for horses in the division to compete at the latter end of the season, with the Bowl at Aintree and the Punchestown Gold Cup the two most suitable races.

Nicholls is considering both, though stablemate Clan Des Obeaux is pencilled in for the former and the latter could mean a rematch with Galopin Des Champs on home turf.

The trainer told Racing TV: “It was an amazing race. The Irish Gold Cup winner, the best staying chaser in Ireland, and the King George winner, the best staying chaser in England, jumped the last together. What a race.

Bravemansgame (right) in the Cheltenham Gold Cup
Bravemansgame (right) in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (Steven Paston/PA)

“They went an end-to-end gallop. I’ve been involved in some good Gold Cups but I’d say that’s as good as any, if not one of the best Gold Cups you’ll ever see.”

Regarding Bravemansgame’s ability to stay over the three-and-a-quarter-mile trip, the trainer added: “If you took the winner out, no one would even question if he stayed. He’d have won by seven lengths, heavy on the bridle. He got into a real battle from the back of the last.

“I know lot of horses find that tough, that final furlong, it doesn’t mean they don’t stay. He definitely stays, he proved that yesterday. No excuses at all, he just got beat by a better horse, Paul (Townend) rode him for luck and he got the luck.”

The Gold Cup will be the ultimate target next season and hopefully for further seasons to come, with Nicholls unsure at this stage if there will be another outing for the gelding this term.

He said: “I’m mighty proud of him, next year we’ll look forward to giving it another go. Plenty of horses have been second and gone and turned it round and won.

Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame landing at the last
Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame landing at the last (Tim Goode/PA)

“Yes we got beat, and beat by a very good horse, but next year’s another year.

“He was really tired straight afterwards, but he was straight out eating his grub up this morning. I saw him have a half-hour on the walker this morning and he was fresh as anything. That’s a really good sign.

“The only two options you’ve got are the Bowl or go to Punchestown, there’s nothing else for him. We’re planning to run Clan Des Obeaux in the Bowl because he’s come about really nicely, we could have a really fresh horse for that.

“Then that leaves Punchestown and I don’t know if we want to go and take on Galopin Des Champs if he goes there again.

“I’ve have a talk to the lads who own him and make a plan. He doesn’t have to run again, but if he was to bounce back and was in really good order, we could consider it.

“We’d definitely give it another go as a lot can happen in a year in racing. He ran so well, I like to think he’d be there for the next two or three years.

“Kauto Star and Denman kept on running every year, you’ve just got to plan their campaigns. I suspect it’ll be the Charlie Hall, or something similar, the King George will be his big target, then a little break and back to Cheltenham.

“It’ll be an exciting challenge next year to see if we can find a few pounds.”

Longhouse Poet tunes up for National with Down Royal victory

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Longhouse Poet advertised his Randox Grand National claims with victory at Down Royal on Friday.

Martin Brassil’s charge was one of three Aintree entries, along with Roi Mage and Farclas, to line up in the Bluegrass Stamm 30 Chase over three and a quarter miles.

Longhouse Poet was sent off the 7-4 favourite in the hands of JJ Slevin, with Farclas next best at 7-2, but the latter was pulled up at an early stage.

The market leader was prominent throughout and took it up with three to jump before Roi Mage headed him approaching the last.

However, Longhouse Poet put in a better leap at the final obstacle, allowing him to pull a length and a quarter clear at the line.

Brassil – who won the National in 2006 with Numbersixvalverde – said, “He needed to do that. JJ had a bit of a mishap with him in Fairyhouse in the Bobbyjo (unseated the first fence), so we wanted to get them to gel a bit more. It would be (important) when you are going around there (Aintree).

“He jumped great and handles the ground and it was lovely to see. He was (value for the winning margin), you would never know how much you have left with him as he just only does enough. When something comes to him, he stretches them a little bit again.”

Longhouse Poet finished sixth in last year’s National and Brassil is hoping for an improved effort this time.

He added: “He did (run a cracker for a long way in the Grand National). He probably over-raced himself, he was very fresh on the day. That’s why I wanted to get a race closer to the National into him, so he wouldn’t be too buzzed up.

“Darragh (O’Keeffe) gave him a great ride (in the Grand National), he had a fantastic round of jumping and all roads lead back there now.”

Longhouse Poet is a best-priced 20-1 with Paddy Power for the National, with Tuesday’s Cheltenham winner Corach Rambler the general 7-1 favourite.

Cricket connection has owner Mitchell bowled over with Derham association

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When Dargiannini fell at Doncaster on December 29, owner Andrew Mitchell could be forgiven for wondering what he had let himself in for.

Since that disastrous Town Moor debut for his first ever runner adorned in the black and white silks based on his beloved Derby County, the ownership experience has been a dream for Derbyshire-based Mitchell, who has since seen his charge register back-back victories – firstly at Uttoxeter, then in front of the cameras at Newbury.

Mitchell is well known in sporting circles as the man behind the successful Owzat-Cricket shop and it was his cricketing connections that led to the long-time racing fan scratching an itch to become an owner.

It was during a charity function at Lord’s when pal Mark Wallace, the former Glamorgan wicket-keeper and boyfriend of Amy Derham, introduced Mitchell to Amy’s brother Harry and it didn’t take long before one of the newest names of the training ranks was adding a recruit to his roster of owners.

Dargiannini’s success has led to Mitchell becoming a fully paid up advocate of Derham’s talents and revels in the fact his new venture allows him to combine a couple of his passions.

“It’s brilliant and it’s a new venture for us,” explained Mitchell.

“I’m involved in cricket and I was at a dinner at Lords with a friend of mine Mark Wallace explaining how I might buy a horse to name after my dad as he loved his horses and I like my racing.

“Wally (Wallace) said you want to have a word with Amy’s brother and we got talking.

“Originally my plan was just to buy a young horse as I wanted to name him after my father and Harry said he would help me find one.

“We went to the sales up at Goffs at Doncaster and didn’t find anything, but the following week Harry rang me to explain if I got a youngster it might take 18 months for that to come to hand or would I like a go with Dargiannini, see how I get on and then find a youngster moving forward.

Glamorgan’s Mark Wallace (wicket-keeper) introduced Andrew Mitchell to trainer Harry Derham
Glamorgan’s Mark Wallace (wicket-keeper) introduced Andrew Mitchell to trainer Harry Derham (Jon Buckle/PA)

“I never wanted to be in a syndicate, we always wanted to do it on our own if we were going to do it, and it was simply a case of right time, right place with how I met Amy through my cricket connections and then getting introduced to Harry.

“Harry’s best friend is Jamie Overton (England international) so it is all quite cricket orientated which is quite nice.”

He added: “Harry is a great kid and it is nice to back a young lad who is finding his feet if you like.

“His family have been really nice and welcoming to us and you can tell they are really supportive of Harry and want him to do well.”

Dargiannini has gone up 8lb for his Newbury triumph which earnt his owner just shy of £11,000 but unlike some, Mitchell is far from concerned about prize-money levels as he embarks on the ownership journey, preferring to focus on the prestige of success in his new sporting venture.

“To be honest, and it sounds blase, it’s not all about the money,” he continued.

“Don’t get me wrong, it helps a lot with upkeep, of course it does. But the prestige of seeing a horse in your name on TV is firstly a bit weird and also a bit surreal. It is also a bit strange when they call you up for the prize, but at the same time it’s really nice.

“The story is going round about my love of Derby County and having to miss matches to go to the races and that is kind of true. Originally I told Harry I didn’t want him to run on Saturdays. Harry always wanted to run at Newbury and I wasn’t too keen as obviously I have other interests, but Harry kept going on and on about it and in the end I took his advice and I’m pleased I did now.”

Dargiannini’s on-course exploits will now see him head to either Aintree’s Grand National meeting or the Punchestown Festival for his next outing.

“Harry is now thinking of taking him to Aintree or Punchestown,” explained Mitchell.

“I’ve been to both Galway and Leopardstown in Ireland but never Punchestown and that is quite appealing, but the thought of having a runner during the Grand National meeting is very prestigious if you like having been to the National and to Aintree many times. To have a runner there would be very special.”

Bitten by the ownership bug, Mitchell has now wasted little time expanding his equine empire, finally fulfilling his dream of buying a two-year-old to name after his father and also dipping his toe into the French market.

He said: “We ended up getting a youngster from Donny sales and we’ve named that Les’ Lad, that’s in pre-training at the moment with Jason Maguire and we bought another couple of youngsters from France – a filly and a gelding. They are two-year-olds and one is from really good stock.

“It’s enjoyable and we got on the bus with Harry when it started off is one way of looking at it.

“Harry having a winner on terrestrial TV won’t have hurt and if he gets one to win at Cheltenham he will be flying.”

Longhouse Poet booked for National prep at Down Royal

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Martin Brassil will send Longhouse Poet to Down Royal next Friday for his Grand National prep run.

The nine-year-old was a well-supported sixth behind Noble Yeats in the Aintree marathon last year and is currently a general 16-1 chance for the four-and-a-quarter-mile spectacular on April 15.

He reverted to hurdles on his first three runs this season, including when scoring at Limerick on Boxing Day.

However, he unseated JJ Slevin at the first on his return to fences in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse last month.

Brassil, who enoyed Grand National success with Numbersixvalverde in 2006, said: “He will probably run in a three-and-three-quarter-mile chase at Down Royal on St Patrick’s Day. That will be his last run before Aintree. I’ve been happy with him.

“I’m reasonably happy with his National weight at 154. As long as the weights don’t go up, he has a grand racing weight.

“He ran a nice race last year, but probably over-raced a bit. He probably got a bit exuberant. You have to remember it is a long way round there twice.”

Fastorslow (right) was touched off by Commander Of Fleet in the Coral Cup last year
Fastorslow (right) was touched off by Commander Of Fleet in the Coral Cup last year (David Davies/PA)

The Kildare handler is still no nearer to deciding which race Fastorslow, who is similarly owned by Sean and Bernardine Mulryan, will contest at Cheltenham next week.

The seven-year-old, who was runner-up in the Coral Cup at the Festival last March, holds entries in both the Ultima Handicap Chase on Tuesday and the Magners Plate Handicap Chase on Thursday.

Fastorslow has run just twice over fences in Ireland, both coming in Grade One company this season.

He finished fifth of six to Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan Memorial at Punchestown and last of five to Gentlemen De Mee in the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown.

Brassil lamented the lack of options for Fastorslow, who won his only other chase outing when scoring for Arnaud Chaille-Chaille at Auteuil in September 2019.

“The conditions of a lot of the races over here excluded him from having a run, because he won in 2019 and the conditions said you couldn’t have won before May 2021, and that is why I had to run him in a couple of Grade Ones,” he said.

“They have given him plenty of weight, too, especially for a horse who hasn’t won a hurdle race since he was three.

“He won a chase when he was three – now he’s seven and rated 150 over fences and 147 over hurdles.

“At the moment we will go to the Ultima, but we will confirm him for the Plate as well. The weights have already gone up 4lb in the Ultima, but we’ll wait and see.”

He added: “He is hugely inexperienced, even though he does jump very well and we wouldn’t have any worries about that. At the same time, it is a big ask. If he has a bit of class, it will have to come out.”

Jockey Niall Madden (left) and Martin Brassil with 2006 Grand National winner Numbersixvalverde
Jockey Niall Madden (left) and Martin Brassil with 2006 Grand National winner Numbersixvalverde (Niall Carson/PA)

Brassil will run An Epic Song in either the Coral Cup or the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle next week, although he would welcome slower conditions for the six-year-old.

“He would be very much ground dependent,” Brassil added. “He would want a real nasty turn of weather.

“I confirmed him for the Coral Cup. If he doesn’t make the cut there, he’ll go in the Martin Pipe.

“He’d want a lot of rain and about a foot of snow to melt, like at the old-fashioned Cheltenham – the Desert Orchid days or days of The Thinker.”

Russell team talking Cheltenham for Douglas

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Douglas Talking will be aimed at next week’s Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in the hope he gets the chance to back up “a special performance” at Sandown on Tuesday.

The seven-year-old took his tally to five wins from eight attempts over fences when sauntering to a 13-length success under Patrick Wadge.

Victory continued the blistering recent form of the Lucinda Russell yard, which has scored with its last five runners.

It was his second win in as many visits to the Esher track and Russell’s partner and assistant, eight-times champion jockey Peter Scudamore, feels the manner in which he won warrants a step up into better company.

“My dad always thought Sandown was the best place to ride a steeplechaser,” said Scudamore.

“I remember riding Celtic Shot in a handicap hurdle one day and Kevin Mooney, a man whose judgement I hugely respected, came up and said, ‘Only very, very good horses can finish up the hill like that’.

“I thought it was a special performance on Tuesday, as I didn’t think we’d beat Venetia’s horse (Gamaret).

“We were very happy and very pleasantly surprised – you rarely see horses winning like that at Sandown.”

Scudamore admitted that if he fails to make the cut for Wednesday’s Grand Annual, Douglas Talking looks set for a step up in class at Aintree.

The Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase, over two miles on the first of the three-day Grand National meeting, is a possible landing spot.

Scudamore added: “I remember taking him to Aintree first time over hurdles, thinking he would win and he ran badly. It wasn’t until he jumped fences that he showed the form on the racetrack that he did at home.

“He won well at Ayr previously and I’ll declare him for the Grand Annual, but he will come into the Aintree scenario, as he might not get in the Grand Annual.

“The Aintree race seems a sensible stepping stone. I always thought he wanted fast ground, maybe because of his wind, but twice he’s gone to Sandown now and he’s won on softer ground than I thought he wanted.”

Apple Away could step up in class at Aintree
Apple Away could step up in class at Aintree (Richard Sellers/PA)

Russell is primed to send a strong team to Aintree, spearheaded by Grand National hope Corach Rambler and Ahoy Senor, provided they take their respective Cheltenham tests in the Ultima and Cheltenham Gold Cup well.

Apple Away, who followed up her Ayr handicap hurdle win in a Listed mares’ novices’ hurdle at Doncaster on Saturday, will be among the yard’s top hopes at the Liverpool track.

Scudamore sees something of the yard’s 2012 Grade One Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winner in the six-year-old.

He explained: “We’ve always thought a lot of her. I think she is a relentless galloper. She doesn’t get tired. She reminds me of Brindisi Breeze.

“We will probably have a better team for Aintree than we will for Cheltenham and we will be thinking of the three-mile (Sefton) Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree for her, depending on ground. I’m very hopeful for her.”

Peter Scudamore and Lucinda Russell will send strong team to Aintree
Peter Scudamore and Lucinda Russell will send strong team to Aintree (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Esprit Du Potier has won the last two of his three bumpers and drew readily clear of his rivals at Ayr last month. He could also be in the mix.

Scudamore added: “He is a nice horse who we are really, really pleased with. He was impressive at Ayr and he might make the team for Aintree.

“Corach, Ahoy Senor, Douglas Talking, Apple Away and Esprit Du Potier could all go to Aintree, and it would be nice for a stable of our stature to go there and compete against the best.”

Soul Icon set to swerve Imperial Cup

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Wintry weather has ruled Soul Icon out of a tilt at the Betfair Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday.

The six-year-old has won seven of his last eight races, starting his winning streak rated 73 at Huntingdon and winning most recently in a Cheltenham handicap off a mark of 117.

He was due to run off 127 on Saturday on his intended comeback run after 141 days off the track, but the weather has scuppered that plan with sleet and heavy rain falling over Esher and leaving conditions unsuitably testing.

“We’ve decided he won’t go and that’s because of the ground,” said trainer Keiran Burke.

“It’s only going to get worse so we’re definitely not going to run, the weather will leave the ground too soft for him.”

A run in The Abersoch Land and Sea Handicap Hurdle at Aintree is the plan now and Burke may seek out another suitable race beforehand.

He said: “We’ll definitely go to the boys’ race at Aintree with him and we might try and sneak another run into him beforehand but I’m not sure where yet, that’s all a bit up in the air at the minute.”