Banbridge booked for Aintree after missing Cheltenham

Adam Morgan
March 20, 2023 1:19 pm

Rain put paid to Festival challenge for O’Brien-trained gelding.

Banbridge and Nusret will both be heading to Aintree as Joseph O’Brien shuffles his pack following the Cheltenham Festival.

The former was a staying on second in the Irish Arkle when last sighted and was declared to run in the Turners Novices’ Chase won by Stage Star before the ground at Prestbury Park went against him on the day of the race.

He will now be redirected to Liverpool where both the opening day Manifesto Novices’ Chase (April 13) over two and a half miles and the shorter Eft Systems Maghull Novices’ Chase on Grand National Day are possible options.

Meanwhile, Nusret – who was among the favourites for the Boodles before swerving the Festival – will be set a Grade One assignment in the Jewson Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle having picked up the Adonis at Kempton on his last raiding mission to the UK.

👀 Banbridge – very impressive
Cheltenham Festival hero Banbridge remains unbeaten over fences with a stylish win in the Arkle Trial @CheltenhamRaces | @JosephOBrien2 pic.twitter.com/sjFiIgG6We

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 12, 2022

“Banbridge will go to Aintree all being well,” said O’Brien. “He will have entries in the two-mile race and the two-and-a-half and he’ll run in one of those.”

“Nusret is going to Aintree as well. It will be a lovely race to run him in.

“I think he’s right in the mix with the UK runners and I think he’s right in the mix with his Irish form as well.”

Home By The Lee is another who could make O’Brien’s teamsheet for the Grand National Festival following his brave effort in the Stayers’ Hurdle.

The eight-year-old rallied with great credit after making a juddering mid-race error and was a staying-on fifth at the line – beaten just shy of four lengths behind the victorious Sire Du Berlais.

The Liverpool Hurdle (April 15) is now a possibility along with the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival (April 27) and an enterprising Channel-hopping trip to Auteuil for the Grande Course De Hures D’Auteuil (May 20).

“He didn’t get the rub of the green and was lucky to stand up with the mistake he made, but he has come out of the race well,” continued O’Brien.

“He has options in Aintree, Punchestown and in France – the French Champion Hurdle.”

Staying closer to home, however, is one-time Derby favourite High Definition who got somewhat bogged down in the soft ground in the Festival-opening Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

High Definition could step up in trip after getting stuck in the soft ground at the Cheltenham Festival (Brian Lawless/PA)

The Owning Hill handler is yet to decide whether he steps the classy son of Galileo up in trip for his next outing or persists over the minimum distance – but he is on course to be seen at either Fairyhouse for their April Easter Festival or Punchestown later in the month.

“He just got stuck in the tacky ground a bit,” O’Brien added.

“He jumped well all the way, but JJ (Slevin, jockey) said he knew after he had jumped two hurdles he was struggling a bit in the sticky going.

“We’re looking at both options (in terms of trip) and he has options in Fairyhouse and Punchestown.”