A Plus Tard and Rachael Blackmore© Photo Healy Racing
Henry de Bromhead reports A Plus Tard to be recovering well from the joint injury that ruled him out of running in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown last Wednesday.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was only withdrawn at the last minute after knocking a joint in transit to Leopardstown but the Knockeen trainer gave an upbeat report on his progress when speaking yesterday to Racing TV.
“I thought it was much better today. The swelling around his joint just gave us a fright on the day. It was actually slightly worse the next day but it’s definitely improving now,” said de Bromhead.
“His xrays and everything were clean. We have a couple more tests to run but his leg felt much better today so hopefully we are over the worst of it.”
The Cheveley Park-owned gelding was a brilliant winner of the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup last March when sprinting clear up the hill to score by 15 lengths but proved bitterly disappointing when bidding to land the Betfair Chase for the second time at Haydock in November.
He was pulled up before three out at Haydock but blood tests subsequently highlighted an issue to explain the poor run.
When asked if it was important to get another run into him before Cheltenham de Bromhead added: “We were able to get him spot on for Haydock last year so we’ll see. I don’t know if I want to empty him out on really soft ground.
“Probably his only option is the Irish Gold Cup. Sometimes you get pushed into things and it works out favourably for you so I don’t know.
“We’ll make sure we get him one hundred per cent right and then see what everyone thinks. There are enough people there that we can work it out between us.”
