Aintree appeals for Nightboattoclyro

Drinkwater’s in-form hurdler likely to miss cut at Cheltenham.

Nightboattoclyro may have to wait until Aintree next month to attempt to complete a four-timer.

Trainer Sam Drinkwater has the Alder Hey Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles on day two of the Grand National meeting in mind for the seven-year-old.

Nighboattoclyro has won all his three starts since joining the Drinkwater stable, with his rating rising from 115 to 131.

The Worcester-based trainer believes that mark should be enough to ensure a run at Aintree on April 9, judged on previous renewals.

Nightboattoclyro also holds an entry in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham, but he may well not make the cut off that mark.

Drinkwater said: “He’s coming along nicely. He’s in the Martin Pipe, but I don’t think he’ll get in.

“He’ll probably have to wait for Aintree. There’s a two-mile-four handicap hurdle there he would have got into the last four years. We’ll probably wait for that.

“Fingers crossed, as long as it’s the same as the last four years, he’ll get in. We’ll see.”

Nightboattoclyro will be ready for whichever opportunity arises.

Drinkwater added: “He’s just on tick-over, as he has been between his runs. He’s easy to keep fit.

“He seems to be progressing, and will be a nice novice chaser next season.”

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