Alsadaa enters totesport Trophy shake-up

Alsadaa could return to handicap company in Newbury’s totesport Trophy on February 9 – ground permitting.

The five-year-old bore out connections’ fears as he failed to handle the testing ground when finishing fifth in the Tolworth Hurdle.

However, trainer Laura Mongan has not lost any faith in the Kingmambo gelding and is keen to pitch him back into handicap company if conditions are in his favour.

“We have made an entry for him in the totesport Trophy at Newbury at the beginning of next month but his run would depend on the ground,” she said.

“He’s come out of Saturday’s race really well – he’s pretty fresh – and it was only the ground we thought might get him and we know it did now.

“We wouldn’t be afraid of going back into handicap company as he ran so well when second in The Ladbroke but he does need good ground.”

Alsadaa has won three of his six starts over obstacles, although he put up a career-best effort when just a length behind handicap snip Jack The Giant at Ascot.

Although he failed to shine on his first start in Grade One company in the Tolworth, Mongan would like to tackle the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with the former John Gosden inmate.

“We would like to aim for the Supreme at Cheltenham and I think he would be a worthy contender, as long as conditions suit him,” she added.