Balding ponders Briareus option
The six-year-old had to be supplemented for the Cheltenham race at a cost of £17,000 and despite getting outpaced coming down the hill, Balding was encouraged with the way he was staying on towards the finish.
“Briareus ran a nice race and stayed on well up the hill and looks like he’ll get further,” said Balding.
“We’ll probably have a look at the Aintree Hurdle over two and a half miles and/or the Scottish Champion Hurdle.”
Meanwhile, Balding’s globetrotting seven-year-old Vanderlin is in fine form ahead of a tilt at the Listed Doncaster Mile at Lingfield tomorrow.
The gelding was last seen finishing fourth in a Grade Two race at Woodbine in Canada last October after filling the runners-up berth in a Grade One at Keeneland, and will face six rivals in the mile contest.
“He is in very good form and hopefully he should run a big race,” said the trainer.
