Eile back on Aintree trail

Triple Aintree Hurdle winner Al Eile returns from a lengthy absence at Dundalk tomorrow night.

John Queally’s nine-year-old appears to have no peers in the two-and-a-half-mile Grade One on Merseyside, and that race will be the target once again if he returns safe and sound.

Al Eile has been off the track with a ligament injury since beating Osana by 10 lengths last April, and was originally ruled out for the season but is back in action quicker than expected.

“It didn’t look good for him back in September but he has recovered well,” said Queally.

“It’s a nice race to run him in, we ran him in it last year and he ran quite well (seventh to Harchibald).

“He always does plenty of swimming before he comes to me normally and he has been back in work since Christmas – he’s done quite a bit of work.

“He usually needs a fair bit of work to get fully fit but he does run well fresh first time back.

“If he comes back safe and sound Aintree would be the aim once more for him, we just need to get through tomorrow night first but that’s where he would be going.

“We have the option of going back to Dundalk in three weeks if we need it but we’ll just see how he gets on first.”

Al Eile reappears in the Dundalk On-Course Bookmakers Race with Dermot Weld’s Prince Erik among the 10 runners.

Harchibald has not been declared, however, and heads straight to Cheltenham for the Champion Hurdle with his trainer Noel Meade describing him as being in “great form”.