If The Cap Fits to sidestep Paisley Park Cheltenham clash in favour of Aintree

If The Cap Fits will miss the Cheltenham Festival and instead go straight to Aintree, trainer Harry Fry revealed on Monday.

The eight-year-old, who was as short as 10-1 for the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle, will now sidestep the race and instead tackle the Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle, which he won last season when edging Roksana and Apple's Jade in a thrilling finale.

If The Cap Fits was last seen finishing fifth to Paisley Park in the Cleeve Hurdle on a day he was fancied to give the red-hot stayer something to think about.

If The Cap Fits (centre) defeated Roksana (left) and Apple's Jade to win at Aintree last season in a thrilling finaleCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Fry said: "If The Cap Fits is going to be scratched from the Stayers' Hurdle in order to focus on Aintree. He'll go back for the race he won last season, and if that went well he could go to Punchestown too.

"He just wasn't good enough on the day against Paisley Park, and we'd rather do this than go back to Cheltenham simply making up the numbers."

Another who will miss Cheltenham is King Roland. The classy novice hurdler suffered a pelvis injury when second to Harry Senior on Cheltenham's Trials day and will now miss the remainder of the season.

However, Fry is already looking forward to having the six-year-old back for a novice chasing campaign next season and still holds very high hopes for him.

King Roland (far side) is headed by Harry Senior over the final flight at CheltenhamCredit: Edward Whitaker

"King Roland picked up a stress fracture to his pelvis at Cheltenham and has been scratched from the Ballymore," said Fry. "While this season is sadly over, touch wood that's all. He'll have a break and his usual summer holiday out in the field, then come back next season when we can look forward to going novice chasing with him."

The trainer added: "We are lucky it wasn't something more severe on the day, and with hindsight perhaps it explains why it went from looking a case of 'how far is he going to win' to him not delivering what he looked set to deliver.

"He's still one to look forward to enormously next season. He was always going to be a chaser and it's not the end of the world."

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