Ground worry for Arcalis
County Durham handler Howard Johnson declared both the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hero and Triumph Hurdle third Akilak at the final 48-hour stage.
But the former’s owner Graham Wylie believes his five-year-old may bypass the two-mile contest.
He said: “I think Howard is leaning towards running Akilak with the ground being on the soft side.
“We might be looking at the Bula for Arcalis instead.”
If Arcalis does not run, there will be a maximum of 10 runners for the Grade One race.
Royal Shakespeare and Intersky Falcon, who finished third and fourth in the race 12 months ago, will try again after the pair finished first and second respectively in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton earlier in the month.
Intersky Falcon is one of two runners for Jonjo O’Neill, who also has Hasty Prince.
Admiral, a narrow winner at Haydock last weekend, makes a quick reappearance for Richard Guest after his short-head verdict over Faasel.
Meanwhile Henrietta Knight and Timmy Murphy have had their punishments over the running and riding of Harringay quashed on appeal at the Jockey Club.
The disciplinary committee overturned the decision of the Towcester stewards to fine Knight £1,000, ban Murphy for 14 days and suspend the horse from running for 40 days after she finished fifth in a mares’ only novices’ hurdle earlier in the month.
The incident had come just two days after the trainer’s triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate collapsed and died at Exeter.
The hearing, which lasted five and a half hours, featured extensive veterinary evidence as to the nature of Harringay's breathing problems and what the effect might have been upon her performance.
