A FIRST win at Cheltenham may have eluded Derrylin trainer David Christie last month but he will be hoping for better luck at Aintree this week.
Winged Leader will represent the Fermanagh stable at the famous racecourse in Liverpool when he lines up tomorrow (Thursday) at 4.05pm in the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase over the Grand National fences.
Christie has been struggling with ill health recently. A mystery virus first laid him low at the South West Acute Hospital, before matters took a turn for the worse and he contracted meningitis followed by a blood clot on the brain.
The 62-year-old trainer ended up in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital and is still recovering. However, his son David Jnr has kept the stable ticking over in his absence and believes Winged Leader has every chance.
“Well, we can only hope [for the best] I suppose, but he seems in good enough form and his prep work has been good,” David Jnr said.
“Winged Leader is very versatile so whatever the ground is like over there it shouldn’t really be a problem. He travels over on Tuesday.
“A win at Aintree certainly would be nice, especially over the Grand National fences. We’ll try and bring the [winners’] trophy back to Derrylin.”
At the Cheltenham Festival last month, Vaucelet looked primed and ready to give the Fermanagh stable their first winner at the legendary race meeting when he lined up as favourite in the prestigious St James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase.
The unfavourable ground proved his undoing, but he lived to fight another day after a tough race that had no shortage of fallers.
“We weren’t actually too disappointed [with Vaucelet] considering the way the ground turned out. He is back in one piece anyway, which is the main thing. We’ll go again with him [later in the year],” David Jnr explained.
Christie Snr has trained more than 350 winners so far, but Winged Leader winning at Aintree would be a career-high.
“Dad has sourced horses like Winged Leader himself and that’s a great testament to him, and his ability to spot good horses early on,” David Jnr said.
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere