Aintree plan for Dreal Deal

Trainer Ronan McNally’s stable star Dreal Deal is entered for both of Fairyhouse's Grade 2 races on Sunday although is not certain to line up in either, with the Aintree festival a more likely target.

Dreal Deal, a Grade 2 winner in January, is entered for Sunday's the Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Novice Hurdle, over two miles, and the 2m4f Colm Quinn BMW Novice Hurdle.

Having missed the Cheltenham Festival due of aspergillosis, McNally now reports “he’s not 100 per cent quite yet — but he’s getting there, I think.

“If we go to Fairyhouse he’d have a Grade 2 penalty, so I’ll probably aim for Aintree to be honest because it will give us more time as well.

“He’s entered in all the Grade 1s over two miles, 2m4f and three miles. Aintree is sharp enough, so I would be looking at the two-four and three-miler — but I wouldn’t discount the two-miler.

“His form over two miles is very good, so we’ll have a look and see what is the weakest race. There weren’t many runners at Cheltenham in the novice races, and those that ran will have had hard races.

“I think we’ll run in the weakest race if I’m honest.

“It was a shame to miss Cheltenham — but we wouldn’t have beaten Appreciate It, so second would have been the best we could hope for. It might not have done us any harm not going, and it gives us a fighting chance for Aintree.”

McNally has an entry in the Randox Grand National in the shape of Thyestes Chase winner The Jam Man — but he is in a similar situation.

“With The Jam Man, he’s just not quite there yet either,” he said.

“We’ve 12 days. He is coming, but he’s not there yet.”