Alner Upbeat About Rising Star Robert Alner has given The Listener a clean bill of health after the exciting grey extended his unbeaten record over fences at Cheltenham on Sunday. The seven-year-old scored by three-quarters of a length from Napolitain and remains on course for a crack at the Royal & SunAlliance Chase, although ground conditions will dictate whether he lines up at the Festival. 'He seems fine this morning,' Alner said. 'I am sure there will be some people who will knock him for not winning more impressively, but I wasn´t too disappointed. 'He jumped well even when he was put under pressure, which was the most pleasing thing. 'I would stress again that I think he needs cut in the ground if he is to run in the SunAlliance Chase. 'If it was genuinely good ground then we would probably let him take his chance, but he is too nice a horse to risk on anything quicker.' (C) PA Sport
