Illusion Going For Gold

Lord Of Illusion is being primed for the biggest double in National Hunt racing ? the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup and the John Smith's Grand National.

Gloucestershire trainer Tom George has decided to aim high 'as we're never going to have another chance like this'.

A 50-1 chance for Gold Cup glory and 16-1 to be king of Aintree, Lord Of Illusion missed out on the Festival last March with a sinus problem, but all his well now.

'You can pick holes in 95% of the runners,' said the Slad-based handler. 'You're never going to have another chance like this so we thought we'd give it a go.'

George revealed it had always been the intention to give the horse a break after his run on New Year's Day at Cheltenham, where he was beaten a length and three-quarters by the Martin Pipe-trained Joaaci.

'He has to go left-handed and he needs good ground,' he said. 'We've not given him a break as such. He's just been working away and he's going to go for the National after the Gold Cup.

'He did a proper piece of work this morning at home with Jason (Maguire) riding because we just wanted to get that in before frost later this week.

'He did that really nicely and we aim to take him away this weekend, weather permitting.

'Our number one preference would be to go to Newbury but we'll take him wherever the ground is right.

'If the ground's not OK we might take him to one of the Polytracks.

'We're very pleased with him. This time last year he had a sinus problem about a week before Cheltenham so let's hope things go right for him.'

? PA Sport