Owner-trainer Syd Hosie is in no rush to decide a possible long-term chasing future for Rock My Way as he focuses on his immediate hurdling options at Aintree next month.
Rock My Way has two possible targets at the Grand National meeting as Hosie ponders whether to stick with handicap hurdling or to risk stepping his star five-year-old up to Grade One company.
Having earned a Grade Two success in a novice hurdle at Cheltenham in January, Rock My Way flew the flag for the yard in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Festival meeting and ran well for a long way before tiring behind Stay Away Fay, eventually being pulled up.
Hosie said: "The Albert Bartlett was a very good race this year. He ran really well for a long way, but just didn't stay three miles.
"He is a nice horse, but he is five. There were two five-year-olds in the race, but I'm not making excuses.
"We have two options now, either the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Aintree over two-miles-four (furlongs) – that is probably where we are going to head with him, then put him away – and there is the Turners Mersey Novices' Hurdle, but that is a bit of an ask, being a Grade One.
"I'm more inclined to run him in the handicap."
Hosie has been involved as an owner for many years with Colin Tizzard before entering the training ranks last year, saddling a handful of winners from his Dorset base.
Rock May Way has become the pick of the bunch and has the scope to go chasing, although Hosie will take his time before making a plan for next season and beyond.
He added: "I have two owners with him now (Nick Case and John Romans), so we will see how he summers and make a plan.
"He definitely has the scope to go over fences. To me, a horse like that, is going to be more natural over a fence – he's going to do everything easier over a fence.
"He probably needs to strengthen up a little more."
