Spinal Research Supreme Novices’ Hurdle runner-up Get Me Out Of Here could bid to go one better at next month’s Grand National meeting at Aintree. The six-year-old took his unbeaten record to five when running out an impressive winner of the totesport Trophy at Newbury on his penultimate start and was only narrowly denied by Menorah at the Festival.
“Get Me Out Here ran a cracking race to finish second in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle,” the trainer told his website, www.jonjooneillracing.com. He jumped fantastically and AP (McCoy) gave him a great ride. It was a smashing race to watch. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if he’d won, but he’s a good horse. We’ll have a think about running him at Aintree next month too, but we’ll see how he comes out of the Cheltenham race first.”
Calgary Bay could head to next month’s Grand National meeting at Aintree following his fine effort to finish sixth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The seven-year-old bolted up in a handicap at Doncaster back in December but was taking a big step up in class for steeplechasing’s blue riband.
Henrietta Knight’s charge was far from disgraced and was well in contention until the turn for home, but his trainer feels he will be seen in an even better light when the emphasis on stamina is not so great.
“He did run a very good race, but it was just too far for him and I think three miles on a flat track would suit him ideally,” said Knight. He might go to Aintree and the options are either a handicap or the totesport Bowl over three miles and a furlong. Three miles and a furlong round Aintree is a bit different to Cheltenham, although we probably wouldn’t want to be taking on Imperial Commander again on a track that would suit him.”
Arkle Trophy runner-up Somersby could bid to end the season on a high in the totepool Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree on April 8.
The six-year-old headed to the Cheltenham Festival with an unbeaten record over fences following successes at Warwick and Sandown and ran a fantastic race to go down by just three-quarters of a length to Sizing Europe. Trainer Henrietta Knight said in the immediate aftermath that her charge could head off for his summer break, but has had a slight change of heart with Somersby in rude health.
“He’s come out of Cheltenham very well and we’ve decided to enter him for Liverpool in the two-and-a-half-mile novice chase,” said Knight. We thought about putting him in the field, but he seems well and we’ll certainly enter him for Aintree and just see how he is nearer the time. He ran a fantastic race and is obviously just crying out for a bit more distance. To go down by less than a length to Sizing Europe was a great effort and we were thrilled, so hopefully there is a lot to look forward to.”
Knight is certain her charge will benefit from a a step up in trip and bookmakers tend to agree with Somersby already as short as 12-1 for next season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup. His trainer is keen not to look too far ahead at this stage and both the Gold Cup and the Ryanair Chase will be considered.
“We’ll just wait and see what happens next season but maybe we’ll be thinking about the Ryanair Chase and then the Gold Cup later on,” Knight added. But nothing is decided and we’ll just take it race by race and step by step.”
