Tag Archive for: Sandor Clegane

Nolan rules Aintree out for Sandor Clegane

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Paul Nolan has ruled Sandor Clegane out of an immediate Aintree rematch with his Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle conqueror Stay Away Fay.

There were few stronger finishers at Cheltenham than the strapping six-year-old, who flew home from an impossible position to finish a length and a quarter behind the Paul Nicholls-trained winner.

A smart bumper performer, finishing second to Facile Vega at last year’s Dublin Racing Festival, he relished the step up in trip at Punchestown in November when sauntering to a 12-length maiden hurdle win.

Given a couple of months off, he returned in the Grade One Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown, where he finished third to Good Land.

Sandor Clegane appeared to improve again at Cheltenham, despite suffering little luck in running before powering up the hill under Sean O’Keeffe.

Nolan is in no rush to map out immediate plans, however.

He said: “He ran a stormer. We expected him to. I knew he was better than he was at Leopardstown.

“I know we can’t keep going on about it, but I thought he was a little bit unlucky. He didn’t get much luck in running.

“He got shuffled back to last nearly twice and he just wasn’t lucky, yet was only beaten a length.

“He flew up the hill and made more ground up than anything in the race.”

A tall, scopey individual, Sandor Clegane would appear to have a bright future, but Nolan is prepared to bide his time with the Kay Browne and Anne Coffey-owned gelding.

He added: “We will see the way he goes. He is on a wee break now. We won’t make any rash decisions on whether he will run again this season.

“He is only six, but at the end of the day he is born to run.

“We haven’t rushed him this season. We haven’t over-faced him. We had a plan and stuck to it.

“Unfortunately, it so nearly went our way at Cheltenham, but it just didn’t work out.”

Horse Racing – Hennessy Gold Cup – Leopardstown Racecourse
Paul Nolan (right) hoping there will be big days to come from Sandor Clegane (Niall Carson/PA)

Any thoughts of taking on Stay Away Fay or his River Don Hurdle conqueror Maximilian in the Cavani Menswear Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree were scotched by Enniscorthy handler.

“He definitely won’t go to Aintree,” said Nolan. “Punchestown would be the one place he’ll go if that happens, but I won’t make a call on that yet.

“He’s huge – he’s 17 hands and is bigger than you think. That’s why we hope he’ll get stronger. I was happy enough he’d improved going into Cheltenham, but for 10 horses to pull up in a Grade One, it shows you what a rough race that was.

“I think there is more to come, but you can’t keep saying this that and the other, and I’m not going to come out with the cliché that he’ll be better over a fence and all that. You live in the present, but we’re hopeful he will improve.”

Nolan anticipating Festival improvement from Sandor Clegane

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Paul Nolan is quietly confident Sandor Clegane will improve for his run behind Good Land at Leopardstown and be a major player in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

The six-year-old had previously landed a Punchestown maiden hurdle by 12 lengths.

Following a two-month break, he ran Good Land to four and a half lengths in the two-and-three-quarter-mile Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors “50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff” Novice Hurdle.

Nolan feels the six-year-old will relish the additional quarter of a mile in the Albert Bartlett and should line up on March 17 as a live prospect.

“I hope he’d have a good chance,” said Nolan. “I thought he ran well and while I was very pleased with the run, I think there’s better to come.

“He jumped a little bit big and I’m just hoping that, even though jumping big you’re not making a mistake, it is still not an asset. You are still giving away a quarter of a length a couple of times.

“I’d be confident and hoping you’ll see a better horse in a month’s time.”

Bookmakers were suitably impressed by his third-placed effort behind Good Land – who is not entered in the Albert Bartlett – making Sandor Clegane a general 10-1 chance for the three-mile event.

“I think he needs to be a little bit slicker over his hurdles. Maybe the ground was a factor. I don’t want to blame too many things, as at the end of the day we were beaten by a better horse,” Nolan added.

“Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m just hoping there’s more improvement to come in our fella.

“Whatever Gordon (Elliott), Willie (Mullins) and Paul Nicholls and all them lads decide which direction they take with their horses, I’m happy enough with my fella.

“Hopefully he will be a horse that will travel over OK. No matter what, travelling is another ordeal and is not an asset.”