Grand Nationwide winner Corach Rambler will head straight for the Gold Cup at Cheltenham earlier than aiming to repeat his Aintree heroics in April.
Corach Rambler was final seen working an encouraging race to be third within the Betfair Chase however coach Lucinda Russell feels he would have an excessive amount of weight to hold within the Ultima at Cheltenham, the race he gained previous to success within the Nationwide, so the Gold Cup represents a greater route.
Russell advised WiIliam Hill: “Corach Rambler is in flying type and appears very properly in himself. He’ll go straight to the Gold Cup and we’ll look to get a racecourse gallop into him earlier than that like we did final yr.
“Everyone knows how much I love him and it would be very special if he could be competitive in another Grand National.
“Over Christmas we watched again the race final yr and it was wonderful how a lot he liked it and the way properly he jumped. That’s the foremost goal and, whereas I do not prefer to name the Gold Cup a prep, that is type of what we’re treating it as.
“He’ll have to carry so much weight in the Ultima and we just feel the Gold Cup will be a better race for him. It would be amazing if he could run well in that which would set him up perfectly for Aintree.”
She could have two runners within the blue riband with Ahoy Senor probably lining up. He’s prone to have one other run first, nonetheless.
Derek Fox and Corach Rambler win the Grand Nationwide
“Ahoy Senor is in great form and has fully recovered from his sore heel after Newbury. We’ve sorted that out and he’s been doing really well at home since,” mentioned Russell.
“The aim looks the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham and, if we don’t go there, we’ll look at the Denman Chase at Newbury – a track we know he goes well at.
“The race at Lingfield (Fleur De Lys Chase) may have been an choice, however I am not eager on working him on very heavy floor.
“Providing one of those races goes well, it will most likely be the Gold Cup next. He has got an entry in the Ryanair and we could look at that, but I’d be leaning towards the Gold Cup at this stage.”
Russell, who feels she probably ran Giovinco again too shortly within the Kauto Star Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and should go to Sandown or Cheltenham subsequent, additionally handed on a great phrase for the mare, Apple Away.
“She’s a bit of a dark horse and I’m quietly confident she might run quite well in the Brown Advisory. She’ll head to Warwick next weekend and I’ve been really happy with her at home since her last run,” she mentioned.
