BLACK APALACHI is Ireland’s number one hope for Saturday week’s Aintree Grand National, according to the bookmakers, but there is no doubt the Irish horse with the best Liverpool record of all is Al Eile, who will be chasing his own little bit of history.
Al Eile is in pursuit of a fourth victory in the Grade One Aintree Hurdle which will equal the record of the former Champion Hurdle winner Morley Street. And after victories in 2005, 2007 and last year, trainer John Queally reckons his stable star is as good as ever despite having had only one run since last year’s success.
That came on the all-weather at Dundalk last month but the lack of an extensive campaign this season isn’t worrying Queally. “It certainly isn’t a problem, I would say if anything it will be an advantage. He should be a fresh horse and all is well with him at the moment. Two years ago he hadn’t run since Christmas and he ended up winning well,” the Co Waterford trainer said yesterday.
“He has won around Cheltenham but basically he likes flat tracks. He has won around Listowel, around Leopardstown a couple of times, Haydock, those kind of tracks. He is just that little bit better on them.
“I’m not too worried about the ground. They usually get it right over there, with just a nice print in it. He’s won on the soft anyway. He beat Inglis Drever (2005) on soft ground,” Queally added.
Al Eile beat last year’s Champion Hurdle Osana by 10 lengths last year when completing his hat-trick and looks like facing Celestial Halo, runner-up to Punjabi at Cheltenham two weeks ago, this time.
He will also have some Grade One opposition from closer to home as Edward O’Grady confirmed yesterday Catch Me will take his chance at Aintree.
O’Grady, who won the race with Sacundai six year ago, missed out on the Champion Hurdle with Catch Me in order to wait for Liverpool’s two-and-a-half-mile option.
“He is on course for Saturday week. I was happy to miss Cheltenham, more because of the track than anything else. He should be a fresher horse than those who ran at the festival. That’s the idea anyway,” he said. “But with Celestial Halo in the race as well it certainly makes things interesting.”
Another Irish star who did run at Cheltenham is Brave Inca, who finished down the field in the Champion Hurdle. Trainer Colm Murphy isn’t considering Aintree for his veteran star performer but is unsure about what Brave Inca’s Punchestown target will be.
The 2006 Champion Hurdle winner was injured two years ago when attempting three miles for the first time at Punchestown and has the option of a repeat bid or staying at two miles.
“I don’t know yet what he will run in. He will be entered in both and the ground could dictate where we go. If it got very firm though he wouldn’t run at all,” said Murphy who was disappointed with Brave Inca’s effort at Cheltenham a fortnight ago.
“A few of ours weren’t perfect in the couple of weeks leading up to Cheltenham and that just makes me wonder. He looked great and seemed perfect at Cheltenham but you never know,” he said.
“I couldn’t be happier with Big Zeb. He was going as well as anything until he fell in the Champion Chase and I would like to think he would have been involved in the finish if he’d stood up. He will run in the two-miler at Punchestown.
“Zaarito seems to be going well again so we will look at Fairyhouse and Punchestown with him.”
Nicky Henderson indicated yesterday the Champion Hurdle winner Punjabi will defend his Punchestown crown at the end of next month, while Punchestowns will travel to Kildare for the stayers race. “There is every possibility that Punjabi will have a spin on the flat again this season but he will go to Punchestown first,” he said.
Mad about you to try longer trip
MAD ABOUT YOU was a hugely expensive 3-10 failure at the Curragh on Sunday but will attempt to get her season back on target over a longer trip next time and with blinkers on, writes Brian O’Connor.
The Dermot Weld-trained filly, four times Group One placed, could finish only third in Sunday’s Park Express Stakes behind Oh Goodness Me and her 20 to 1 stable companion Firey Red.
Mad About You had worn blinkers when winning her final start of 2008 at Naas and the Moyglare Stud manager Stan Cosgrove expects the headgear to be back on next time.
“The two of ours worked last week and Mad About You left Firey Red for dead,” Cosgrove said yesterday. “She had blinkers on at Naas and moved so well there. She has come out of the race well but may have needed it a bit. There is a mile and two race at Leopardstown in three weeks time for her.”
