La Bague Au Roi off to Aintree rather than Cheltenham

WARREN GREATREX will choose Aintree over Cheltenham for La Bague Au Roi this spring, after her laudable run on what turned out to be unsuitable ground at Leopardstown.

Greatrex’s dual Grade One-winning mare still has entries in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Ryanair Chase, but is instead bound for Aintree’s

Betway Bowl following her tough performance to finish fifth in Sunday’s Irish Gold Cup.

She travelled to Ireland partly in search of a sounder surface than has been on offer through an especially wet winter at home, but came unstuck when a watering programme and morning rain combined to produce more testing conditions than many anticipated. Greatrex nonetheless had no complaints, either with La Bague Au Roi or his Irish hosts.

“She’s come back in great nick, all good,” said the Lambourn trainer. “She ran very well, and I was very happy with her.

“It wasn’t ideal for me that it turned soft. I can understand that, but it didn’t suit me. They’re not going to listen to me, just because I want better ground.

“It’s a big Festival, and the powers that be in Ireland wanted softer ground, which is fair enough. We took our chance. She ran very well, but I know on better ground, she’d have been a lot closer. I’m very proud of her, and we’ll move on to the next race, which I would say would be Aintree.

“I hope we get a bit of better ground [there]. I suppose most people will be either going to Cheltenham or Punchestown so you never know, it might just be a race she can go for.”

Meanwhile, Nicky Henderson has been dealt a blow by having to rule his smart mare Marie’s Rock out for the season.

Owned by Middleham Park Racing, Marie’s Rock was prominent in the betting for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival having been most impressive in wins at Haydock and Taunton, but she has suffered a stress fracture.