Festival flop Dude is cleared for National

MONBEG DUDE has been given the all-clear to run in the Crabbie’s Grand National at Aintree on April 11 despite disappointing trainer Michael Scudamore at the Cheltenham Festival.

Scudamore has also revealed a shot at the Grade One Celebration Chase at Sandown on April 25 is an option for Grand Annual Chase winner Next Sensation.

Monbeg Dude, the gelding part-owned by former England rugby captain Mike Tindall and fellow international James Simpson-Daniel, was a poor 14th in the Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase under Paul Carberry.

Scudamore has run tests on the 10-year-old, who was seventh in last year’s National. With the results coming up negative, Scuda- more believes the most likely reason for Monbeg Dude’s below-par effort was his resentment of a tongue tie being fitted for the first time.

The trainer (below) said: ‘ We were disappointed with his Cheltenham run but he has come back fine. There is no reason not to run at Aintree and the tongue tie will be left off. Maybe he did not enjoy running in it even though he has plenty of experience of it at home.’ Scudamore is not thinking of Aintree for Next Sensation, but the trainer is tempted by the Celebration Chase. He added: ‘ We are looking at Ayr and Punchestown, although my worry about

Ireland, given he is a nervy character, is the travelling. The Celebration Chase is in the back of my mind.

‘They are talking of taking (2014 winner) Sire De Grugy there but there are usually only five or six runners.’

Scudamore will discuss Monbeg Dude jockey plans in the next week, as will Neil Mulholland, whose The Druids Nephew, a 12-1 National shot, won the Cheltenham race both horses contested.

Mulholland has lost first-choice Barry Geraghty, who broke a shinbone in a fall on Sunday, and second- choice Davy Russell, who fractured an arm 24 hours earlier. Geraghty is hoping to be back for the Punchestown Festival which starts on April 28.

MANGE ALL, trained by William Haggas, has been trimmed to 11-2 favourite for Saturday’s Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster by William Hill.