Minella Indo© Photo Healy Racing
Former Gold Cup winner Minella Indo has his first run in a cross-country race at Cheltenham today as the Henry De Bromhead-trained ten year old carries top weight under Rachael Blackmore in Cheltenham's Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase.
Winner of the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Minella Indo has already won twice this year — on New Year's Day at Tramore in a Punchestown Grade 3 in October but has now changed course following a recent defeat in Down Royal's Ladbrokes Champion Chase.
The Aintree Grand National is currently an option and ahead of today's 3m5f race, De Bromhead reports “we said we’d give it a go and he’s done it for years as a prep. He’d go up and jump a few cross country fences before a big race and he’s always enjoyed it.
“Obviously it’s a handicap but we’ll give him a spin around and it will be nice for him to see the course. Hopefully he’ll run well and maybe we can consider the conditions race in March.
“We have a few drains and things at home and we’ve got a very good cross country next door to us, Ballinamona Equestrian Centre, and we use their track.
“His first run back was savage and he’s in great form. It’s just going to be tough for him in a handicap giving away that weight. We can see if he takes to it and it’s also proven as a really good Grand National prep.”
Quotes from Alan Magee
