'We're probably going to swerve Cheltenham' - festival fancy set to wait for Aintree

Famous Clermont, who is Britain's shortest-priced contender for the St James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase after bolting up at Haydock on Saturday, looks set to miss Cheltenham.

He is quoted at no bigger than 8-1 for next month's contest after putting up an improved display of jumping and coming home an 18-length winner under Will Biddick, making it three victories from four starts over fences.

But trainer Chris Barber said on Sunday: "We've got to have a chat with the owners and make a decision but I think we're probably going to swerve Cheltenham and maybe the plan will be to go to Aintree.

"That's a flat track and two miles five, they go a nice gallop and you can get into more of a rhythm. As Will said, you can flick through the fences at Aintree, whereas at Cheltenham if you don't get into a rhythm and don't jump you can be in trouble.

"It's a stiff test round there, it's three miles two and if the ground comes up soft it's a slog. He's a very strong-travelling horse and two miles five round Aintree would suit him a lot better."

Biddick, who trained Porlock Bay to win the Cheltenham showpiece in 2021 when amateurs were barred from riding at the festival due to pandemic restrictions, added: "A lot of critics and pundits in the point-to-point and hunter chase scene have been telling us where we should be going with him, but he hasn't been the easiest horse to train and get right so we're not going to go and blow it now.

"Chris has been very patient with him. He's only eight and we'll do what we think is right for the horse. We're not going to do what people are telling us to do, we're going to do what's right for the horse."

Biddick believes work with his father-in-law, former jockey Rupert Nuttall, has made all the difference to Famous Clermont.

"My wife is an international showjumper and Chris brought him over to her father Rupert's place to do pole work, trying to get him to use himself a bit," he said. "And we changed tactics, we normally drop him out the back and take our time but we decided to give him a bit more daylight and ride him a bit more prominently.

"Tweaking two things got a better performance from the horse. He's always had the engine but his head doesn't engage with his feet all the time."

Famous Clermont was a £5,000 buy who gave Barber his first winner under rules at Exeter last year, and the trainer said: "We're very lucky to have a horse like him.

"I loved him when I saw him at the sales, I thought he was a big, raw horse that maybe needed a bit of time and as it's transpired that's exactly what he did need."

St James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase (4.10 Cheltenham, March 17)

William Hill: 9-4 Vaucelet, 3 Ferns Lock, 11-2 Winged Leader, 6 Famous Clermont, 7 Billaway, 10 bar

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