McConnell eyeing Aintree and Ayr prizes John McConnell is eyeing big prizes with some of his jumping stars in the next few weeks. The Stamullen handler witnessed some fine performances from his small squad of Cheltenham runners last month. Streets Of Doyen was staying on third in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle while Some Neck filled the same position behind Tiger Roll in the Cross Country Chase. The later holds an entry in the Grand National and McConnell is hopeful of getting a run in the famous race. “All the horses came out of Cheltenham great. I'm going to enter Streets Of Doyen in Aintree but he probably won't run,” reported McConnell. “I'm tempted to go the same route as we did with Go Another One. I ran him in Perth the week before Punchestown when he was a novice and he won a Listed three-mile hurdle worth £20,000 to the winner. “We might go there or go straight to Punchestown. He'll have either one or two more runs over hurdles. “Then we'll freshen him up and probably go chasing during the summer. Then he'll have a break like he did last year. “He wants real nice ground. If he's as good over chase fences he'll be alright. “Some Neck is in the National and Simon Torrens is booked to ride him. He should get in alright. “If he wins the National he'll get a break but if not he might end up in the La Touche at Punchestown! “Go Another One (who finished sixth in the Kim Muir) is in the Topham and we'd be tempted by that as it's quite a valuable race. “It's two-miles-five, if he took to the fences and started popping away he'd run well in it. “We have a couple of nice bumper horses. Bardenstown Lad, who won in Tipperary, might go to Aintree as well for a good bumper or could go to Punchestown. He'll go hurdling then during the summer. “The horse that won in Downpatrick, Drumbear, is going to go to Ayr. I think Anna Bunina (who was eighth in the County Hurdle) will run in the Scottish Champion Hurdle so we'll send him over with her.”
