Collonges set for Exeter assignment
Heros Collonges will complete his John Smith’s Grand National preparations with a spin over hurdles at Exeter tomorrow.
The 11-year-old has had just two starts this season and was last seen finishing second to stablemate L’Aventure in the Welsh National over two months ago.
Trainer Paul Nicholls is keen to give him another outing before the April 8 showpiece and has earmarked the second division of the Gregory Distribution Novices’ Hurdle at the Devon track.
Nicholls told Teletext: “I really want to get a run into him before the National and we had planned to run him at Newcastle but we didn’t want to send him there as there is the doubt over the weather.
“He hasn’t run over hurdles for a long time and it will actually be only his second start over them in this country, but there was nothing suitable for him.
“It doesn’t look the strongest race though, and he will like the track.”
