Tom ponders on Admirel for crack at National Andrew Nelis Racing

Tom Lacey still has Aintree in mind for Adrimel.

The Herefordshire trainer’s Grade Two winner faded tamely to be pulled up behind the impressive Vanillier in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at last week’s Cheltenham Festival.

Lacey reports the six-year-old, previously unbeaten in three starts over hurdles, to have recovered well from his experience.

Both he and Tea Clipper, third in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham, may therefore head to Aintree’s Grand National meeting next month.

Lacey said of Adrimel: “Nothing has come to light – he seems very well in himself.

“Obviously, it was a concern how quickly he stopped. But nothing has come to mind – I had a long conversation with (jockey) Richard Johnson (this week).

“He’ll have an entry in the three-mile novice and the two-and-a-half-mile novice at Aintree – and I think we’ll just have a wait and see what the ground does.”

Adrimel had raced exclusively on soft or heavy ground up to last week, and won five of six starts under rules – as well as an Irish point-to-point.

Tea Clipper appeared to have a preference for a quicker surface, but ran as well as he ever has with some give in the ground as a 33-1 shot at Cheltenham.

Lacey is considering another move up in trip for the useful handicapper and former Larkhill point-to-point winner.

He said: “I think we might go for the three-mile race at Aintree.

“I think he wants nice ground, but that was probably the softest surface he’s performed with real credit on – so I’m asking myself now ‘how dependent is he on proper good ground?’

“I think the jockeys all concurred it was good to soft, if not a little bit slower.

“At Aintree they do a super job of watering.

“If they did get some rain on top, what you wouldn’t probably want is for it go to soft. But good to soft throughout is not going to be an excuse for him now.”

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