Trainer Harry Fry has revealed that Neon Wolf, second in the Neptune Investment Management Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, will head to Punchestown at the end of April for their annual Festival which runs from April 26- April 29, therefore bypassing Aintree’s Randox Health Grand National Festival.
Beaten a head by Willoughby Court in the two and a half mile event, Fry’s charge slightly pecked on landing at the final flight which lost the gelding valuable momentum up the punishing Cheltenham hill.
However, Fry was pleased with his charge and despite being disappointed that the six-year-old son of Vinnie Roe had not won at Prestbury Park, he was still proud with the gelding’s tenacious performance.
Impressive in three starts under rules before Cheltenham, Neon Wolf and Willoughby Court pulled well clear at Cheltenham which looks to have given the form a strong look.
Fry intimated in the aftermath of the race that the gelding could head to Cheltenham with Fry confirming to the Racing Post:
Neon Wolf will be entered in the two-and-a-half mile novice hurdle (Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle) at Punchestown, and if he runs again it will be there, but it’s the last week in April and it will be ground dependent.
American, also trained by Fry, missed the RSA Chase at Cheltenham due to the quick ground but impressed at Uttoxeter the Saturday after the Festival when winning a decent event with ease under Noel Fehily. Fry continued:
American will have an entry there in the three-mile novice chase [Grade 1 Growise Champion Novice Steeplechase] but he needs genuinely soft ground and might wait until the autumn.
The trainer also confirmed that no decision had been made as to where Stayers’ Hurdle third Unowhatimeanharry will head with Aintree and Punchestown both possible targets for the nine-year-old son of Sir Harry Lewis who was a warm order for the three-mile Grade One contest but laboured to third behind Nichols Canyon and Lil Rockerfeller in the event.
