Harry Whittington has provided an update on his stable stars ahead of the Cheltenham Festival after ending a barren spell at Kempton on Thursday.
Rouge Vif, who finished third in last year’s Arkle, is continuing his preparations for an outing in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, but Whittington warned the seven year old will only run in the Grade One if the ground is right.
He said: “Rouge Vif is very well and has had a mini break after Kempton (in the Desert Orchid Chase). He is very fresh and we will be prepared for the Champion Chase. He will only run if the conditions are suitable.”
Last year’s Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate winner Simply The Betts could make his first start since finishing sixth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup in the Grade Two Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury, should the meeting be cancelled on Saturday and re-arranged.
He said: “Simply The Betts was meant to run in the Denman Chase. I didn’t enter him as he wasn’t quite right behind but he seems absolutely fine now.
“So if it is rescheduled for next weekend he might have the entry but I’ve got to see how he is over the next couple of days. In my mind it would be too tight but we will see.”
Meanwhile Whittington reported last year’s Ryanair Chase runner-up Saint Calvados none the worse for his fall in the rearranged Cotswold Chase at Sandown Park on Saturday. The chaser could now bid to go one better in the 2m 4f Ryanair at next month’s Festival or even tackle the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
He added: “He is absolutely A1 and he has come out of that fine. He is back cantering and there is not a bother on him. It was a bit unfortunate but that is the way our luck has been going the last couple of months.
“Gavin (Sheehan) felt like there was plenty of horse underneath him at that stage. He will be kept in the Ascot Chase next Saturday just to give us the option. I think we would be leaning towards going straight to Cheltenham.
“He will be left in the Gold Cup and the Ryanair and that would be the plan and we will keep all options open.”
Whittington was speaking after watching Sheila Nash, a horse named after his own grandmother, end his 91 day wait for a winner at Kempton Park on Thursday afternoon – then described the last three months as “the toughest period” of his training career.
The Sparsholt handler had saddled 63 consecutive losers until the six year old triumphed in the Vbet Promotes Responsible Gambling Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Having parted company with jockey Jonjo O’Neill Jr at the start at Wincanton last week, the 9/1 chance made amends when getting the better of a sustained late battle in the two mile prize with Ballybough Mary by a neck.
Whittington admitted: “I said to Fergal O’Brien just then I needed that more than you did! It was great to get back in the winner’s enclosure as we have had a tough couple of months. My last winner was November time and I’m not going to say a date as I’ve not even thought about that. I just thought about trying to get my string in top gear.
“We didn’t have a lot of runners in January as the ground has been far too heavy. It’s good to get back on track.
“I’d say it’s been my toughest period. It’s been tough but there have been learning opportunities. We’ve learnt more in the last two months than we have learnt in the whole time we have been training horses.
“It seems like they are very well at home so please God we are out the other side. It was just the job she got me out of a three month dry spell.”
Whittington was also quick to praise winning rider Alan Doyle, for whom the victory was a first of the season.
He added: “Taking seven pounds off with Alan (Doyle) helped. He is a really good lad who started with me at the beginning of January and I’ve got a lot of time for him.
“I’m delighted for Chris Nash (owner). She is named after my grandmother who is Chris’s mother so it is quite special. You can always rely on granny to get you out of trouble.
“She doesn’t show a huge amount at home but she is so tough on the track and she showed that today.”