Martin wants dry spell for Lad’s double target
The 11-year-old, winner of the Irish Grand National in 2001, needs good ground to show his best form.
The Co Meath trainer is hoping conditions will be suitable as he is aiming Davids Lad at the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival followed by another crack at the John Smith’s Grand National.
Davids Lad has already had two bites at the Aintree spectacular, going well when falling four out in 2002 and coming last of the 11 finishers behind Amberleigh House last April.
He was controversially ruled out of both festivals in 2003 when he was banned for 42 days for using Naas racecourse as a training ground.
Preparations for his spring objectives continued when the Yashgan gelding was eighth of 11 in a handicap chase at Thurles last week.
“Davids Lad needs good ground but he takes his races well. It’s three and a half weeks from Cheltenham to Liverpool, so hopefully he’ll go for the Kim Muir,” said Martin.
“Hopefully it will be Cheltenham and then the National. He needs good ground because of a wind problem. He was operated on and it takes him two or three races to get him right so we should have him in really good nick for Cheltenham and Liverpool.
“We can’t say at this stage whether he’ll make the cut for the National. He has 10st at Aintree but needs more than 40 horses to come out to be guaranteed a run”.
Martin believes Davids Lad was harshly treated by the handicapper when he was raised from 110 to 147 in 2001.
“In fairness when he won the Irish National he ran up a sequence of four victories in a row. At the time he was only a novice but was actually a very good jumper and he got overrated.
“He did win the Irish National but only by a short distance. He was put up to 147 and he was never a 147 horse. I think at his best he was a 140 horse.”
Another Irish handler, Ned Mitchell, is keen to send over Garvivonnian (10st 1lb), winner of the Pierse Group Cork Grand National in November, for the Aintree National.
The Co Limerick trainer said: “If we get into the National we will go. I am very pleased with the 10st 1lb - he’s running off top weight here all the time as he’s at the top of the handicap and he’s not good enough to take on the good horses.
“He ran in the Paddy Power Handicap at Leopardstown over Christmas carrying one of the top weights which is a hard task.”
On his last start the gelding fell two from home in the Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Punchestown.
“He’s come out of Punchestown fine and he’ll probably run over three miles one furlong in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse on Saturday.
“The Grand National has been the plan since his win at Cork. The fences at Aintree aren’t really a worry.”
Meanwhile, Tom George has kept his options open with four Grand National entries - Lord Of Illusion (10st 6lb), Historic (10st), Be My Royal (9st 12lb) and Toulouse-Lautrec (8st 5lb).
“I’m pleased with the weights all of mine have received and as long as Historic gets a run, I’m happy,” said the Gloucestershire-based trainer.
“Historic has got 10st while Lord Of Illusion is up in the air at the moment and we’ll see what happens with him when he runs at Cheltenham.
“We thought we would enter him in the National to have another option and Be My Royal is also a possibility but I don’t think he’ll get in off 9st 12lb.”
“Historic is in great form - he had a day’s hunting last week to freshen him up a bit and we might take him hunting again. He’s also in a few races later on this week,” he continued.
Ladbrokes: 12-1 Amberleigh House, Clan Royal, Silver Birch, 20-1 First Gold, Grey Abbey, Hedgehunter, Lord Atterbury, Timbera, 25-1 Forest Gunner, Joly Bey, Montys Pass, Royal Auclair, Strong Resolve, 33-1 bar.
