The Big Dog has actually been offered a tidy costs of health following his fall in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown, with fitness instructor Peter Fahey reporting it is all systems choose a tilt at the Randox Grand National on April 15.
Winner of the Munster National on his very first start of the season, he followed up by declaring the Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan in November – a success that had connections imagining Aintree in the spring.
He then continued his great campaign by completing 3rd off top-weight in the Welsh Grand National prior to being handed a Grade One project at the Dublin Racing Festival previously this month.
👍 Excellent news – The Big Dog & Keith Donoghue OK after their fall in the Irish Gold Cup@LeopardstownRC | #DublinRacingFestival pic.twitter.com/twwZpwSvGk
— Racing TELEVISION (@RacingTELEVISION) February 4, 2023
Tasked with taking on the similarity Cheltenham Gold Cup preferred Galopin Des Champs and Stattler, the 10-year-old was more than holding his own and having actually taken a trip sweetly throughout, was well in the shock when pertaining to sorrow at the 2nd last.
However, he is none the even worse for that tumble and all roadways now result in the Merseyside marathon, where The Big Dog is a basic 25-1 shot to continue the supremacy of Irish-trained horses in the race.
“It looked like he was going to run a big race when he came down. Where his finishing position would have been I don’t know, but the one thing he was always going to do was stay on from the back of the second-last,” said Fahey.
Proper race!
Lifetime Ambition offered it is all, however last month’s Munster National winner The Big Dog (11-1) kicks on after the last to land the @BarOneRacing Troytown Handicap Chase @NavanRacecourse 🏇@donoghue_keith | @PeterRacing pic.twitter.com/CTV7RAHRWz
— Racing TELEVISION (@RacingTELEVISION) November 27, 2022
“We were delighted with his run and although he had a bad fall, he has actually come out of it well. We will simply build up his self-confidence now with a little bit of leaping and the primary goal will be to go to Aintree.
“He’s back working away and working out away and whatever appears great and all working out, we’ll be at Aintree.
“At the moment we’re not looking at running him again, but we still need to get him back jumping and schooling. If he hasn’t lost his confidence too much, we’d definitely not think about running again. If I think he needs a run to get his confidence back then we will give him one, but I would be leaning towards not running him.”
He went on: “He’s had a hectic adequate season and we understand he works out fresh. I believe he’s done enough and if his leaping is okay after his fall, we’ll head straight to Aintree.
“If all things went well the last day, I think he would have run above his mark again which would have been a big performance and I think he proved he appreciated a bit of nicer ground as well, so there are definitely a few plusses to take out of his run in the Irish Gold Cup.”
