Aces Four ruled out for season

Aces Four will not run again this season after Ferdy Murphy decided against an appearance at the Aintree Grand National meeting.

The nine-year-old, an impressive winner of the Mildmay Novices’ Chase 12 months ago, has had an interrupted season following his reappearance in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in November.

He has been seen only once after the Charlie Hall when disappointing over hurdles at Market Rasen.

Although the chestnut holds an entry in the totesport Bowl, Aces Murphy will not run at either Aintree or the Punchestown Festival.

Murphy said: “Graham (Lee) came to work him this morning and he worked well enough but we looked at the race and decided against it.

“We thought we may as well wait for next year with him.”

Murphy also decided against Aintree for novice hurdler Kalahari King, fourth in the Supreme at Cheltenham.

“He’ll go to Ayr instead for the Scottish Champion Hurdle – it’s worth £100,000 this year,” the West Witton handler told Racing UK.

“It’s a handicap and it’s likely to be good ground.”