Aspire Tower and Rachael Blackmore© Photo Healy Racing
Espoir d’Allen and Katchit both landed the Unibet Champion Hurdle as five-year-olds this century and Aspire Tower will be given the chance to go down that route after a nice summer out on grass.
The Born To Sea gelding was trained on the Flat by Richard Hannon and Steve Gollings, winning a Newmarket nursery and earning a rating in the high 80’s.
He’s taken really well to hurdles since joining Henry de Bromhead last year winning the Grade 2 Frank Knight Juvenile Hurdle and, having fallen at the last when disputing the lead in the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Spring Juvenile Hurdle, went on to fill the runner-up spot in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Goshen looked set for an impressive victory when unseating his rider at the last in the Triumph and is now one of the leading fancies for next year’s Champion Hurdle but de Bromhead doesn’t believe Aspire Tower was anywhere near his best that day.
“I thought he jumped very left in the Triumph and he may have got a fright at the first or it could have been the fall (at Leopardstown). He’d been schooling well at home but apart from about three hurdles I thought he jumped badly.
“I felt he didn’t run up to his form but it was testament to him that he stayed on to finish second after jumping the way he did,” said the Knockeen trainer.
“He won’t run on the Flat this summer. He will have a good break now and we’ll bring him back for next year.
“I would think we will give him a chance to go down the Champion Hurdle route. I haven’t discussed it with the lads (owners Brendan McNeill and Jonathan Maloney) but he’s entitled to have a look.
“We could start off by looking at races for second season novices, maybe the one in Down Royal (Grade 2 WKD Hurdle). He seems to finish out his races well and you could look at any trip with him.”
