The Gordon Elliott-trained Labaik, an impressive winner of the Grade One Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on his latest outing, will not be sold at the inaugural Goffs UK Aintree sale this week.
The temperamental grey has refused to race four times in the last 12 months, leading connections to ponder selling the horse, bearing in mind there is a chance were he to refuse again, that he would be banned from running for a considerable amount of time.
However, the owners of the horse have decided to not sell and he will now head to the Punchestown Festival for the Herald Champion Novice Hurdle (April 25).
Whilst connections will be wary that the horse’s temperament could continue to be a threat, the six-year-old son of Montmatre undoubtedly has a real touch of class which might have persuaded the owners to keep the gelding.
Aidan O’Ryan, who is part of the team that own the French-bred gelding said: “They (Labaik’s partners) have decided not to sell and he’s going to go to Punchestown, that’s the plan.”
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