Buddy will bid to go One better in Liverpool this year

Buddy One will aim to back up his respectable Cheltenham Festival display by attempting to land the JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree next month.

The eight-year-old came home fifth in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle, beaten 12 lengths by Bob Olinger on what was his second race back over hurdles following a switch to chasing at the start of the campaign.

He will remain over the smaller obstacles on his return to Merseyside in the hope of improving on his second-placed finish behind Strong Leader in the same race 12 months ago.

“Buddy One ran a cracker, I thought he stayed on really well to the finish,” trainer Paul Gilligan said.

“Last year, he hit the front turning for home and I just said to Jack (Gilligan, jockey) ‘hold on to him for as long as you can’, which he did.

“And coming down the hill, he just hit a flat spot as they quickened, but he stayed on up the hill again really well.

“He wasn’t coming back enough I know, but he was grabbing them all the way to the line, so it was an encouraging run.

“He had been chasing until Gowran Park (when pulled up in the Galmoy Hurdle), and he had a little procedure on his wind since, so that was a fantastic run since coming back.

“There’s a possibility that he could go to the Stayers’ Hurdle at Aintree. I know the timing is tighter this year, but that’s where he will go. That’s the plan.”

Gilligan’s other runner at the Festival was Sequestered, who was 10th of 12 finishers in the Ultima Handicap Chase.

His handler remains positive about the performance of the seven-year-old and believes a step up in trip could be just what the son of Malinas needs, with the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday the target.

“He’s grand, I thought he was running a nice race,” Gilligan added. “He’s a horse that needs to be held up and he will come into the race in his own time, which was happening until he made a mistake four out.

“He clattered one of the fences just as he was creeping in lovely at the time, just made a bit of a mistake there when he got blinded when looking for the fence and that knocked the stuffing out of him.

“But looking back at it, there were very few horses that came from behind at Cheltenham, a lot of winners seemed to be on the pace. We just didn’t luck out on the day.

“Maybe it was the track itself – he wants a big, galloping track it looks like – but he’s home safe and sound, and that’s the main thing.

“He will probably end up going for the Irish National now, it will suit him a lot better, he’ll stay all day and he can come into the race in his own time.”