Bandey mulling Punchestown trip for Diesel D’Allier

Festival cross-country assignment in the reckoning.

Richard Bandey will consider a cross-country chase at next month’s Punchestown Festival for Diesel D’Allier following his highly-creditable run at Cheltenham.

The nine-year-old grey was the first British-trained horse home in the Glenfarclas Chase at Cheltenham behind the Irish trio of Delta Work, Tiger Roll and Plan Of Attack in the three-and-three-quarter mile stamina test run in attritional conditions.

“He ran an absolute cracker. Everybody was over the moon to be in the unsaddling enclosure. He’s been out in the field ever since,” said Bandey.

“He was a little bit tired a couple of days after the race, but all is good. He put it all in on that ground. It was a fantastic run, very pleased with him.

“There’s an option we may go to Punchestown. Other than that, if we didn’t take that on, he’ll have an early summer holiday and come back for (Cheltenham in) November. We might look at going to Ireland. He likes those races and if we don’t do it now, we won’t do it next year. I’m up for considering it.”

Bandey decided not to enter Mister Malarky in the Coral Scottish Grand National and is looking to run him at either Aintree, in the three-mile handicap chase on Grand National day or at Cheltenham next month.

“He’s fine and back in full work. I’m very happy with him. We’ll look at Aintree and Cheltenham a few days later for him,” said the Hampshire handler.

“We were really happy with that run in the Grimthorpe and I want to keep him in a positive frame of mind going forward. For me that’s more important than the prize money or the temptation to go in a really big race.”

The nine-year-old ran his best race for some time when second in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster on his first start since being moved from Colin Tizzard’s stable.

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