Cheltenham or Aintree? Henry Daly mulling next move for 'fantastic' Hillcrest

Hillcrest looks likely to stay over three miles for his next assignment, but trainer Henry Daly is adamant Saturday's impressive Haydock winner has the gears to be a Grade 1 performer over a shorter trip.

The giant son of Stowaway shrugged off the ill fortune of being knocked out of the race by the fall of Harper's Brook at Cheltenham last month with an eight-length defeat of Crystal Glory, after which bookmakers slashed his odds for the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham.

That win formed the centrepiece of a fine treble on the day for Daly, who also scored with Randox Grand National hopeful Fortescue and Guillemot at Ascot.

Of Hillcrest, who carries the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings, Daly said: "He's got the most fantastic mind for racing and nothing much bothers him. Once you've got that onside it doesn’t half make my job easier.

"It really didn’t bother him [unseating at Cheltenham] and when we schooled him the next week, he just couldn’t give a stuff, which is a great place to be with him.

"What’s different about him is I think we could drop back to two and a half if we need to. The last two runs he’s completed have been in exceptional times in comparison with the other races on the day.

"On Saturday, he was quicker than the Rendlesham by quite a long way and the Pertemps qualifier, and it was the same on New Year's Day at Cheltenham over two and a half."

Henry Daly: 'The last two runs Hillcrest has completed have been in exceptional times'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Expanding on that theme, Daly added: "He might look it but he’s not slow, he just has a tremendous gallop.

"I don't think two and a half is a big issue but it's also pretty obvious three went pretty well."

Coral and Ladbrokes are a best-priced 8-1 about Hillcrest for the Albert Bartlett and, while Daly and racing manager Mick Meagher will also consider the option of waiting for Aintree, the seven-year-old was reported in bright form on Sunday.

"I wouldn't think he needs to do both [festivals]," said Daly. "He appeared not to have a particularly hard race at Haydock, which is great.

"Tom who looks after him said he only blew afterwards for five or seven minutes which, on that ground over three miles, is very good."

Daly would love to run Swinley Chase winner Fortescue in the National, but is resigned to an anxious wait to see if he gets in.

He was allotted a rating of 143, leaving him at number 67 on the list for a race with a 40-runner maximum.

Hugh Nugent is all smiles after victory on Fortescue at Ascot on SaturdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Daly said: "I went to the weights lunch and when they came out I was counting down and went 'oh...'. I have a feeling that he'll either get in by one or miss it by two, because that’s the law of sod, isn’t it?

"I would love to run him in it but I just have that feeling that it's not going to go according to plan. A lot will come out after Cheltenham; Mr O’Leary takes out Tiger Roll. It will be very tight. He gives every impression of the race being right for him."

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