Oliver Greenall is considering the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival for both stable stars Iroko and Jagwar.
The two JP McManus-owned horses are the flagbearers for Greenall and training partner Josh Guerriero’s Cheshire yard and both horses have looked in good nick this season.
Iroko was second to The Jukebox Man on his return at Haydock and then impressed in victory at Ascot last time, while Jagwar was third in the Support The Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup on his seasonal return at Cheltenham.
Greenall said of Iroko on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast: “You need to be of that (Gold Cup) quality to win a Grand National so that’s what the aim is and we’re sticking to that plan.
“We’ll wait for the weights to come out, last year he ran in the Premier Chase at Kelso and that fits in pretty well, it’s almost three miles and it’s good to run him over that trip.
“That’s probably the best route, but he could run at Cheltenham in the Festival in the Ultima or something like that, but I think the plan at the moment is Kelso.”
As far as Jagwar’s upcoming targets are concerned he said: “I think we’ll see a different horse when he next runs. We’re thinking Trials Day, there’s a two-and-a-half (mile handicap chase) that day, he’ll be all set for that.
“If he gets his jumping together he’s on the cusp of Ryanair (class).
“We could look at going up in trip, we always thought he’d benefit for three miles in which case we might look at the Ultima for him.”
Comparing the two Greenall surmised: “They’re different. Jagwar’s got more ability, but Iroko probably tries a lot harder. They’re both amazing horses, every time they run I hope they can keep going a lot longer.”
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