'We'll step him up to three miles now' - improved Iroko set for Aintree after pleasing Cheltenham return from injury

Iroko will step up to three miles at Aintree with confidence back in the Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero-trained stable star after a promising return from injury at the Cheltenham Festival.

JP McManus's six-year-old finished a well-beaten fifth in the Turners' Novices Chase a fortnight ago, but his connections were happy enough with his effort off a 128-day break. He had been ruled out for the season with a foot injury shortly after making an impressive chase debut at Warwick in November, but it healed quickly enough for him to feature at the spring festivals.

Last season he was tried at the three-mile distance to finish third to Apple Away in the Sefton Novices' Hurdle at the Grand National meeting following his impressive win in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham, and he will be back over that distance on April 12 for the Mildmay Novices' Chase.

Greenall said: "It was a great run at Cheltenham having had such a long time off. His jumping kept him in it, but it proved that he definitely wants further. We'll step him up to three miles now and go to Aintree.

"He'll improve for that run, I was very pleased. For a horse having only his second start over fences he jumped unbelievably well. He's come on fitness-wise and is sharper too. For a horse to go from one run into that level is a big ask and he ran exactly as I thought he'd run to be honest. He was a bit outpaced but stayed on really well. 

"He ran over three miles at Aintree and we always felt that was the right trip, but coming back off the break and over fences we thought we'd go back in trip. 

"I'm glad we didn't go three miles having had such a long time off – it would've been a slog for him and he'd have had a very hard race. He didn't have one at Cheltenham, he's come out of it well, it's brought him on and he's learnt plenty. Now we can go again."

Oliver Greenall: "Now we can go again"Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Iroko's injury did not transpire to be as serious as initially thought. It only impacted a small area of his foot, leading to a swifter recovery time. 

Greenall added of his injury: "We just kept tipping away with him, as you would, and if he was a normal horse we probably wouldn't have said anything. We kept working away, sometimes these things can take long, but you never know really. We're all different, it's the same with any of us. His issue was in a certain place which didn't take long to recover from."

The joint-trainers will be busy across the week. As well as Iroko, they are also set to saddle Guerriero in the Foxhunters' Chase and Homme Public in the Red Rum on Thursday, while Making Headway will line up on the same Friday card as Iroko in the 2m handicap hurdle. The yard's consistent White Rhino will also feature on Grand National day in the 3m½f handicap hurdle.

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