Castle Carrock takes another step on the learning curve at Aintree tomorrow

April 4

Tomorrow’s Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle is the perfect hors d’oeuvres for the Grand National, and the race often throws up a future superstar, with the likes of Best Mate, Wayward Lad and Morley Street among those on the roll of honour.

Gordon Elliott has taken the prize back to Ireland for the last three years, and, while Nicky Henderson’s Triumph Hurdle runner-up Lulamba is a strong Lambourn fancy to repel the raiders this time around, Alan makes no secret of the fact that Castle Carrock, our only runner on Aintree’s final day, is a youngster whom he rates very highly.

It took a cheque of £100,000 at the Cheltenham sale last November before Nicky Richards agreed to allow his Ayr bumper winner to move to Barbury, and Alan has been delighted with the progress the youngster has made.

He said:”The day Castle Carrock made his debut for us at Sandown I was on a flight back from holiday in the Maldives, but I managed to watch the race on the plane courtesy of the internet, and I was really pleased with what I saw as, though he won easily at Ayr, there was no substance to the form.

“We bought him only two days after that bumper win, and we gave him plenty of time to settle in to his new surrounds. After Sandown we stepped him up to Grade 2 company at Kelso, where he stayed on well to finish third to two previous winners.

“I doubt whether Castle Carrock had ever gone as fast in his life that day, but he is learning all the time and he should come on no end for that run. It will certainly have sharpened him up and he has come a long way in a short space of time, especially when you consider that it was only his second run over hurdles and only his third race ever.”

Our only runner tomorrow is Uhtred Ragnarson, who will have his second run over hurdles  in the four-runner junior NH race at Chepstow. Alan added:”Uhtred Ragnarson showed ability in bumpers and made a solid start to hurdling when staying on in encouraging fashion to finish third at Taunton last month. He is getting better with each outing and I hope that he will competitive.”