Iroko set for Cheltenham as Aintree remains the aim

Iroko is being readied for an outing on Festival Trials day at Cheltenham following his early exit at Ascot last month.

The Cheltenham Festival-winning hurdler made a promising start to his campaign when narrowly denied by Trelawne in a graduation chase at Haydock in November and he was a hot favourite to go one better at Ascot’s pre-Christmas meeting, but fell at the first fence after being hampered.

Josh Guerriero, who trains the JP McManus-owned gelding in partnership with Oliver Greenall, reports Iroko to be none the worse for the experience and he is now set for a trip to the Cotswolds as connections plot a route to the Randox Grand National in the spring.

Guerriero said: “He’s come out of it fine and it was just annoying as when you get knocked over at the first there’s not a lot you can do.

“We’ll go to Cheltenham now on Trials day for a handicap and we’re definitely still aiming at the National with him. We’ll work our way somehow.”

Five days after Iroko’s fall, his stablemate White Rhino also came to grief in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton, unseating Henry Brooke at the third fence having impressed in winning his first two starts over fences at Ayr and Haydock.

The nine-year-old is being targeted at the Cheltenham Festival, but which race he will run in come March is likely to become clearer after his next run.

“That was annoying as well and again it was just one of those things,” Guerriero added.

“I’m not sure where we’ll go now really, we might have go at the Reynoldstown at Ascot and if all goes well there we’ll still head for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham.

“If he went and won the Reynoldstown we might have to reroute, but I wouldn’t mind that!”