Jagwar and Iroko both on track for Grand National after Cheltenham runs

Guerriero, who trains in partnership with Oliver Greenall, ran both JP McManus-owned horses in the same race at the Cheltenham Festival, with Jagwar second in the Ultima Handicap Chase and Iroko only 10th.

Jagwar was having his fifth consecutive run at Cheltenham, but his two previous victories at the track had come on the New Course and his handler felt the Old Course caught him out last Tuesday.

Guerriero told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: "Jagwar, we’re thinking, is going to go to the Grand National if he’s alright leading up to it.

"I think the course made it a lot harder for him to be honest. On the New Course he definitely seemed to get in much more of a rhythm, it’s a lot more galloping as we all know. That Old Course, he just seemed to come round the bend to a fence and, it’s such a tight turn turning in, we were five wide, because we didn’t really jump and lost a position. I just think that course caught him out.

"I don’t think Cheltenham suits him that much which sounds silly, but I just think with the undulations and the bends it unbalances him and his jumping goes to pot a little bit, because he is so big and he struggled to go round the course.

"But we take positives from it. It’s nice to see how well he stayed and the ground he lost at the fences, to still come back and finish like he did, I thought was quite impressive really.

"Aintree, with a big long straight, he can use his stride and get into much more of a rhythm."

While Iroko was further down the field in the Ultima, he returned a dirty scope afterwards and all roads still lead to the Grand National, where he was fourth last year off a 5lb lower rating than the mark he races off this time around.

Guerriero said: "Iroko wasn’t quite right after his run, he just didn’t turn up, didn’t run a race at all from the off he wasn’t himself.

"He just had a slightly dirty scope. Antibiotics a bit of time, it will be no problem.

"I’m glad we found something and he’ll be fine for Aintree."

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