Betting
GRAND ANNUAL OPTION: 33-1 shot and previous Cheltenham hero For Pleasure could sway Arkle route for Festival handicap
Former Cheltenham winner For Pleasure may head for the Grand Annual over the Arkle at the Festival
Supreme third For Pleasure “ought to run” in the Grand National at the Cheltenham Festival later this month, trainer Alex Hales believes.
The Edgcote representative was last seen finishing last of the four runners at the Kingmaker at Warwick last month, having fell at Doncaster on his previous start prior to that.
He will remain in contention for the first chase of the week, but his handler says his route will not be decided until closer to the off.
Hales told At The Races: “My owner is very keen to go to Cheltenham. I just said we cannot go to Cheltenham on the back of a fall, so we rushed him back a little bit for the Kingmaker.
“I was well aware we would finish where we finished, it was just a case of getting a clear run into him and I thought he ran very flat, which he can do – he puts so much into his races that two weeks between runs was not long.
“The plan was to freshen him up then make a decision.
“I think he really ought to run in the Grand Annual if he is to run, but the owner wants to keep him in the Arkle, so we will keep him in at the confirmation stage and see where we are.
“Some years there can only be six or seven in the Arkle. So I can kind of see his point. It is worth keeping him in. I would imagine it will be a late decision.”
