War to end with final battle at Punchestown
The 11-year-old was making his first visit to Prestbury Park since landing the 2006 Gold Cup but after making much of the running, he faded in the straight to finish 12th.
Trainer Mouse Morris admits his veteran is not the force of old but wants his pride and joy to bow out on home soil.
“He’s come out of it in great form and he seemed to enjoy himself on the day, that’s the main thing,” said Morris. “He ran well for a long way, but he just got caught out in the end on that fast ground as they were just too quick for him.
“He still gave a good account of himself and all being well he’ll now go to Punchestown as we’ve taken him out of the National.
“I’ve left him in the Guinness Gold Cup and the three-mile hurdle race and we’ll just see how the ground is nearer the time before we decide where to run.
“Whatever happens it will be his last race and it would be nice for him to go out in the chase, but we’ll see.
“The main thing is he gets through it in one piece and then it will be the end of the story for him, because we’ve come this far.”
Meanwhile Arkle Trophy runner-up Somersby could bid to end the season on a high in the totepool Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree on April 8.
The six-year-old headed to the Cheltenham Festival with an unbeaten record over fences following successes at Warwick and Sandown and ran a fantastic race to go down by just three-quarters of a length to Sizing Europe.
Trainer Henrietta Knight said in the immediate aftermath that her charge could head off for his summer break, but has had a slight change of heart with Somersby in rude health.
“He’s come out of Cheltenham very well and we’ve decided to enter him for Liverpool in the two-and-a-half-mile novice chase,” said Knight.
“We thought about putting him in the field, but he seems well and we’ll certainly enter him for Aintree and just see how he is nearer the time.
“He ran a fantastic race and is obviously just crying out for a bit more distance. To go down by less than a length to Sizing Europe was a great effort and we were thrilled, so hopefully there is a lot to look forward to.”
Knight is certain her charge will benefit from a a step up in trip and bookmakers tend to agree with Somersby already as short as 12-1 for next season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.
His trainer is keen not to look too far ahead at this stage and both the Gold Cup and the Ryanair Chase will be considered.
