Jezki camp play it cool
Fitted with a hood for the first time, Jessica Harrington’s six-year-old got the better of fellow JP McManus-owned runner My Tent Or Yours to claim hurdling’s biggest prize in the hands of Barry Geraghty.
If Jezki is to run again this season, it would appear a straight choice between the Aintree Hurdle and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle.
Harrington said: “He has come out of the race good, I’m really happy with him.
“We haven’t made any decisions about the rest of the season. I haven’t had a serious talk (with connections) yet, so we’ll see what they want to do.
“Punchestown is just down the road, so we’ll see.
“We’ll be keeping the hood on. Why change something that worked so well?”
McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry echoed Harrington’s sentiments.
He said: “Both horses (Jezki and My Tent Or Yours) came out of the race good and they are both having an easy week.
“We’ll probably decide on plans early next week.”
Meanwhile The New One remains firmly on target for a second tilt at the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle following his luckless run at the Cheltenham Festival.
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ stable star was stopped in his tracks by the fall of the ill-fated Our Conor in last Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle, but rallied tremendously well in the hands of the trainer’s son, Sam, to finish third.
The six-year-old was narrowly beaten by Zarkandar as a novice in last year’s Aintree Hurdle and with Champion Hurdle one-two Jezki and My Tent Or Yours unlikely to head for Merseyside, The New One is set to be a hot favourite on April 3.
Twiston-Davies said: “The New One is 100 per cent, no problems at all.
“Hopefully he’ll go to Aintree, that’s the idea.
“I’m not sure what else will be running (in the Aintree Hurdle).
“We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Double Ross put in a superb effort to finish a close third in the JLT Novices’ Chase and will also be part of the Aintree team.
As will Same Difference, who is bound for the Crabbie’s Grand National after finishing fifth in the defence of his title in the Kim Muir.
“He (Double Ross) was very good and he’ll be going to Aintree as well, all being well, but I’m not sure which race he’ll run in,” said the Naunton-based trainer.
“Same Difference ran all right and we’re very much looking forward to the National with him.”
Irving’s disappointing display in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last week remains a mystery to connections.
The five-year-old went into the Festival’s curtain raiser unbeaten in all his four starts over jumps, including two Grade Two contests, and was sent off the 7-2 joint-favourite to complete a five-timer.
However, the Paul Nicholls-trained gelding gave his supporters little hope of success as he finished 11th behind impressive scorer Vautour, his main market rival.
Depending on how he comes out of the race, Irving could try to redeem his reputation in the two-mile novice hurdle at Aintree next month, won last year by My Tent Or Yours.
