Martin wants dry spell for David's Lad

Tony Martin is praying for a dry spring to improve the chances of David's Lad fulfilling an ambitious spring campaign.

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 David's 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.

David's 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 two-and-a-quarter-mile handicap chase at Thurles last week.

“David's 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,” Martin told At The Races.

“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 that David's 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.”