Final Demand is "70-30" more likely to run in the Turners at Cheltenham than the Albert Bartlett, according to owner Bryan Drew.
The two-and-a-half mile race on Wednesday has long been considered his Festival target but with the prospect of spring weather and drying ground, means he'll he left in the Friday Grade One over three miles too.
Speaking on Tuesday's Nick Luck Daily Podcast Drew said: “He’s in the Turners and the Bartlett, we’ll probably leave him in both until the last minute to keep all doors open given the drying ground but the plan would be to run in the Turners.
“Clearly one has to give enormous respect to The New Lion, particularly on drying ground, and that will come into the thinking a little bit, but he’ll be left in both until the last minute."
Drew will play a part in the final decision too.
“I like to get involved, I like to understand things, but the trainer is obviously best placed to make the decision or recommend what to do. But I can’t sit back, passively and give the trainer carte blanche, I like to get involved and have my two penneth but most importantly understand the rationale, the thinking and what goes into the decision making," he explained.
“It’s probably 70-30 Turners at the moment but as I’m sitting here it’s glorious sunshine, 14 degrees outside, my meadow is drying by the second. Whether Cheltenham will water I don’t know yet but you have to think it’s going to be something like good to soft on Wednesday.
“In a dream world we’d just have regular soft ground for our fella so it would be stupid to close any doors at the moment and we’ll keep him in both.”
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