Cassia given Aintree mission
Cassia Heights is on course to return to the scene of his greatest triumph on Sunday when he lines up for the totepool Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at Aintree.
Steve Brookshaw’s 10-year-old won the Topham Trophy over the course and distance in 2004 and the trainer is hopeful of a bold show.
He said: “We tried to run him at Aintree last spring but couldn’t get in the handicap so it has been the plan all season to go for this race.”
Cassia Heights was seventh to the re-opposing Il’Athou at Haydock earlier this month and the Shropshire handler believes the gelding will have come on for that outing.
He said: “He had a nice run out at Haydock a few weeks ago so hopefully that will put him right for Sunday.
“The drier the better for us. Good to soft will be fine but if it stays dry all week it could even get better.
“He should have a fairly light weight, which will help him, and, touch wood, he jumps well enough round there so I’m as confident as I can be.”
Simon Sherwood, trainer of Il’Athou, would prefer soft ground for his charge.
The nine-year-old relished the testing going when running out a half-length winner at Haydock.
Sherwood said: “He’s very well and it’s certainly a possibility that he’ll go but we haven’t made a firm decision yet. It really depends on the ground because he needs it as wet as possible, and obviously we’ll have to take a look at the opposition.
“He did really well last time. He’s a horse that is always best when fresh. He likes big fences and being able to get his own way, so I’ll need to do some homework to see if he’s likely to be taken on or not.
“He wants it no faster than soft. He’d have to have genuine soft in the ground. Soft or heavy would be perfect.
“He’ll go there or to Newbury but Joe Tizzard is quite keen that he should run at Aintree.”
