Birch considered for Chepstow assignment

Silver Birch may run over hurdles at Chepstow on Saturday as he looks to get his John Smith’s Grand National credentials back in focus.

Although Paul Nicholls can still offer no explanation as to why the nine-year-old had to be pulled up in the Country Gentlemen’s Association Chase at Wincanton on Saturday, the Ditcheat handler reported the gelding to have come out of the race unscathed.