Iroko ready for chasing bow at Warwick

Cheltenham Festival winner has been schooling well, reports Oliver Greenall.

Cheltenham Festival hero Iroko is set to make his chasing debut at Warwick on Tuesday.

Trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, the five-year-old was a real improver over hurdles last season and, after a pair of commanding wins at Wetherby, brought up a hat-trick when scoring in the Martin Pipe at the Festival in March.

Iroko then finished off his season by finishing an honourable third when stepped up to Grade One company for the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle during Aintree’s Grand National Festival.

Having skipped a possible return at Cheltenham recently, he will now start off over the larger obstacles in the Stan Mellor Memorial Novices’ Chase, a race won 12 months ago by Paul Nicholls’ Stage Star.

Greenall said: “We’ve always thought chasing would be his game, he’s been schooling really well and we’re looking forward to getting going with him.

“He will want three miles eventually, but we’re just going to start off at two and a half and then go up in trip as the season progresses.”

Iroko is owned by JP McManus, whose famous green and gold hoops are also carried by Greenall and Guerriero’s smart hurdling prospect Jagwar.

Jagwar (left) pushed Inthewaterside (right) all the way at Aintree
Jagwar (left) pushed Inthewaterside (right) all the way at Aintree (Tim Goode/PA)

The four-year-old recruit from France pushed the highly-regarded Inthewaterside all the way on his UK bow at Aintree last Sunday and is exciting his training team.

“He does everything well at home, is really relaxed and easy to train,” continued Greenall.

“He’s going to probably want a trip and fences in time but we will stay over hurdles for now obviously this season.

“We feel he will come on for the experience and fitness wise, so we were very happy with the performance.”

Jagwar could now be set for an immediate step up in class, with a return to Aintree for the Grade One Formby Novices’ Hurdle (formerly the Tolworth) on the Merseyside track’s new Boxing Day card and Newbury’s Challow Hurdle both possible options.

“There’s a few options for him and we’ll probably wait until Christmas time with him now,” explained Greenall.

“He can go back to Aintree on Boxing Day for the new fixture or there is Newbury that we are looking at, we’ll just have to wait and see how he is.

“We’ll probably step him up (in class) a bit, which is what we did with Iroko – and if he won, then great, but if he doesn’t, then he’s gaining experience along the way.

“We probably won’t just go for a little novice as I don’t think he will learn a lot and we’re not gaining anything. We would probably prefer to go and have a go at a better race.

“Aintree would mean going back in trip but it could easily be fairly soft ground that day, which would be fine.”

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