No Lalor concerns – Woollacott

Trainer Kayley Woollacott says she has no worries in sending Lalor straight to the Arkle at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.

Lalor was pencilled in for the Napoleons Casino & Restaurant Owlerton Sheffield Lightning Novices’ Chase at Doncaster on Saturday but, after looking at the ground conditions in South Yorkshire, connections have decided to bypass the meeting.

The seven-year-old will instead be heading straight to Prestbury Park in March and there are slight doubts as to whether the gelding can triumph in the Arkle due to his chase inexperience.

However, Woollacott is happy with the shape of her charge and believes he will give a good account of himself at Cheltenham.

“There are no concerns about going straight to the Arkle as all of his best runs have come off the back of a long break before, so we won’t have concerns going straight there,” he said.

“You’ve got to do what’s best for him and he’s shown he can do the business after a break. I’d be concerned trying to get a run in beforehand, trying to go to Warwick for the Kingmaker, and then getting him to Cheltenham in the right shape. He’ll probably have a racecourse gallop though.”