Williams considering French hurdles run for Potters Corner

Graham Clark
January 16, 2020 2:00 pm

Welsh National hero could head to Auteuil in March.

Christian Williams is considering sending Welsh National winner Potters Corner back over hurdles at Auteuil on his next start ahead of an outing in the Randox Health Grand National.

The 10-year-old could travel to France for the Listed Prix Hubert D’Aillieres on March 7, before tackling the Aintree marathon the following month.

It would be the second time in the space of a year that Potters Corner – who is a general 25-1 chance for the Grand National – has raced in France, having also visited the Parisian track in May.

Williams said: “We might go to France for a Listed hurdle on March 7. It is something different.

“I’ve taken him to Auteuil before and I probably couldn’t run him in level-weight races over here. If I was to run him here, it would be in 20-runner staying chases and, off his mark, I thought it would be a nicer option to go to France.

“He is very laid-back – I’ve taken him to Auteuil before and he took it all in his stride.”

Although Potters Corner is yet to tackle the Aintree fences, Williams is confident he will take to them judging by his Chepstow success.

He said: “I wasn’t massively sure he would jump round Aintree until his win at Chepstow, but he has been good all this year. Last season things didn’t go for him, but he still won a Midlands National.

“He travelled lovely at Chepstow and he doesn’t get behind the bridle like most staying chasers do. He travels nicely on the bridle and I’m hoping Aintree will suit him.”

Before Williams takes Potters Corner on a return trip to France, he plans to tread a familiar path by giving him a day out much closer to home.

He said: “I will take him down to Henrietta Knight’s before France, if we go there, as I did that before the Midlands National and before the Welsh National.

“It gets him out of the yard and seems to be working. It was nice to have another set of eyes look at him before the Welsh National and tell me he looked well, it gave me a bit more confidence.”