Clan Royal target undecided

Connections of the luckless Clan Royal will give the gelding a week to get over his exertions in the John Smith’s Grand National before deciding on his next target.

He did not enjoy the best of fortune when second to Amberleigh House in last year’s Aintree spectacular and it was even worse for the Jonjo O’Neill-trained 10-year-old on Saturday.

Clan Royal, one of six runners in the great race for owner J P McManus, appeared very fresh on his first outing for 115 days and pulled his way to the front at the Chair (15th).

He was tanking along in a clear lead when he was hampered and carried out by a loose horse on the run to Becher’s on the second circuit (22nd), dumping Tony McCoy on the ground.

“It was a long way from home but you’d have liked to see him getting a run. He was jumping great, looked to be travelling well and enjoying himself,” reflected Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus.

“He always runs keen round there. He was very keen there last year as well and he wasn’t any different this year, he just takes a bit of settling round there.”

And referring to the mishap, he said: “It was just one of those things, typical of what happens in the Grand National.

“It was a great race though and the winner, Hedgehunter, was very impressive. He bolted up.”

Clan Royal has been installed the 6-1 favourite with the sponsors for the Betfred Gold Cup on Saturday week but his participation in the Sandown race has yet to be confirmed.

“We’ll give him a week to see how he is,” Berry continued. “We’ll see how he comes out of this in a week or so and make a decision then.

“The main thing is that he’s come out of the race well. We’ll see how is and see how the ground goes – he likes good ground.

“Touch wood it would be great to get to Aintree again next year.”

McManus’s other Grand National runners, Innox (seventh), Spot Thedifference (18th), Shamawan (last of the 21 finishers), Le Coudray (pulled up) Risk Accessor (unseated rider second) were reported none the worse for their Grand National efforts.

Berry added: “They are all fine and all are in good form – no major hiccups with them, thank god.”