Sir Alex Ferguson’s record-breaking horse ‘absolutely perfect’ for £100,000 Grand National day race
SIR Alex Ferguson will head to Liverpool hoping to bang in another winner – with his record-breaking horse who’s ‘absolutely perfect’ for Aintree.
The Manchester United legend and pals forked out £630,000 on Caldwell Potter last February.
The six-year-old, formerly trained in County Meath by Gordon Elliott, became the most expensive jumps horse sold at public auction.
He has since been kept in cotton wool by new trainer Paul Nicholls at his Ditcheat base in Somerset.
But after Bryony Frost reported the horse to be in rude health, he is ready to unleash the beast in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle – worth a chunky £100,000 – on Grand National day next Saturday.
Victory would represent another massive pay cheque for Sir Alex, who had two winners at Cheltenham Festival last month.
And it would also prove crucial to Nicholls in his attempt to beat old friend and rival Dan Skelton to the jump trainer’s crown.
Nicholls told Sun Racing: “Harry Cobden gave Caldwell Potter a school earlier this week and he jumped great.
“Gordon has been a big help, I’ve spoken to him a couple of times about the horse, he told me he isn’t a morning glory and not to expect very much from him on the gallops.
“He has acclimatised really well, it does take horses a little while to settle in and no matter what happens at Aintree I think he will be a better horse next year when he has had a summer at grass and we’ve got used to him and he is used to us.
“I think the two and a half mile race at Aintree will be absolutely perfect for him, but I think he will make a lovely chaser next year.”
Sir Alex was disappointed in his bid for a £2.7million payday in last weekend’s Dubai Sheema Classic.
The globe-trotting Old Trafford icon saw his Flat superstar Spirit Dancer finish second last in the quality field.
But after netting Sir Alex and Co almost £1.5million in two runs this season, he’s now having a well-deserved break.
And attention now switches back to the jumps, where another of Sir Alex’s newest stars, the exciting Kalif Du Berlais, looks ready to roll.
Nicholls said: “There is a month between Cheltenham and Aintree this year so they’ve all had time to get over their races.
“The only exception being Stay Away Fay, who will go to Ayr or Sandown later in the month.
“And we will obviously have other nice horses like Kalif Du Berlais to we have kept fresh for this meeting.
“He schooled nicely this week and is in great form, he is a gorgeous horse.
“We will have a big team up there, we always do, it’s a big week in it’s own right and there is loads of prize money to be won.”
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