Hanlon has likely Lad for Aintree

Luska Lad will not run in Friday’s rearranged Galmoy Hurdle and will also skip Cheltenham, according to his trainer John Hanlon.

The consistent seven-year-old will instead be aimed at the Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran, where he is likely to face Dunguib, and then go to Liverpool for the Aintree Hurdle.

Recently bought by Barry Connell, he had been given an entry in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle but that has already been ruled out.

“We’re not going to go for the Galmoy, we’re going for the Red Mills,” said ’Shark’ Hanlon.

“We know he’s a good horse over two miles and two and a half miles, but Barry and I have decided to go for the Red Mills and then go to Liverpool – he won’t go to Cheltenham.

“The reason is we know he’s much better going right-handed and whereas at Cheltenham you are on the turn all the time, Aintree has two big, long straights. I think that will suit him more, plus it’s two and a half miles and worth a lot of money.

“It’s great for Barry to have a horse for a race like that and he’s got some of the best young horses in the country.”