Furze targets Aintree run The French Furze, third to leading Champion Hurdle hope Ned Kelly at Leopardstown on Sunday, is set to give the Cheltenham Festival a miss and head for Aintree instead, it was revealed today.Nicky Richards` eight-year-old has been a model of consistency this season and he stayed on well from the last under Tony Dobbin to take the minor berth, beaten seven lengths, in the Grade One AIG Europe Champion Hurdle.'He is in the Champion Hurdle, but I think we will give that a miss and go for the two and a half miler at Aintree (Grade One Aintree Hurdle on Martell Grand National Day) - he would be fresher than those who go there after running at the Festival.''Those hurdlers at the very top are just too good for him and he could have a hard race at Cheltenham to finish placed and that could finish him off for the season.'After Aintree, the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr has always been a race which I think would really suit him and then there is the Swinton Hurdleat Haydock so there is plenty to go for apart from Cheltenham.
