Ben Brookhouse is keen to give Aslukgoes some more experience as he works towards his main spring target at Aintree’s Grand National meeting.
Unbeaten in three starts, the son of Yorgunnabelucky scooped Listed honours at Newbury in his most recent outing – a performance that brought big-race targets in the spring into the equation.
On that occasion the Roger Brookhouse-owned five-year-old stayed on strongly in the hands of Jack Quinlan and his handler is confident he is one of the best bumper horses in the UK.
However, with Cheltenham quickly ruled out in the aftermath and still remaining unlikely – and a trip to Ireland for the Punchestown Festival also dismissed – it is the Grade Two Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race on Grand National day where Aslukgoes will get the opportunity to prove his quality on the big stage.
"I haven't noticed a bumper horse yet in the UK which travels at the speed he does and can also produce a finishing effort like him," said the Newmarket-based handler.
"Jack (Quinlan) was very confident on him at Newbury and he was nowhere near finished at the line. He idles when he gets to the front, as he showed at Worcester and at Fontwell, hence why we are keeping him in bumpers for a long time, just to help his mentality and educate him.
"He is a horse with a lot of ability and a very good attitude. Three days after Newbury he was back to his old self which is unbelievable.
"We straight away ruled out Cheltenham, but when he was bouncing after Newbury I had a conversation with dad and said 'look, I've got to train this horse for Cheltenham' because I have to maintain and manage his mentality.
"So we are training him for Cheltenham, but he probably won't get entered for Cheltenham."
He continued: "He might go to Uttoxeter for the bumper on Midlands National day. He will have a penalty and Daire McConville will probably take 7lb off him, or there is a bumper at Kelso (March 25) on a big day that is worth quite a lot of money he could go to.
"We toyed with the idea of Punchestown, but that probably won't be the place to take him because it is a trip away and it is all about maintaining his mentality and energy levels.
"He is a horse with lots of natural ability, a good moving and, touch wood, a very sound horse.
"Aintree is the goal for him and it would do the stallion good. I would like to think we would finish the season unbeaten with him as a bumper horse and then we will focus on getting him jumping and making some nice shapes before worrying what trip he would want over hurdles."
