McCain Considers Talk Options

Donald McCain junior is considering running Idle Talk in either the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup or the Coral Welsh National.

The eight-year-old broke an unwanted sequence of unseating his rider when chasing home New Alco at Carlisle recently, having previously unshipped his jockey four times in a row.

And after that confidence booster, his Cheshire-based handler is now looking forward to the rest of the season.

'The Hennessy is a possible for him and we are also considering Chepstow and the Welsh National, but it would be either/or and not both,' said McCain.

'He ran a good race really because he was only beaten by a horse with proper two-and-a-half-mile form, so when you think he wants an extra mile I was delighted with him.

'It was a really solid first run and and it was as good as I could have hoped for ? it was a relief to see him jump round.

'There's nothing really wrong with his jumping, and like AP (McCoy) said to me, he hasn't been falling, he has just been unfortunate.

'He's a decent tool and the frustrating part about last season was that I never managed to learn about him so we are learning all the time now.

'He's on a mark of 148 for the Hennessy. He has just been dropped 2lbs as well but that won't make a difference. He was sixth in it last year for Tom George and they thought he left his Hennessy at Cheltenham.

'He hasn't had such a hard race this year so the Hennessy is a possible, as the worry at Chepstow would be heavy ground.

'I'll discuss it all with Mick Meagher (owner Trevor Hemmings' racing manager) but he has come out of it fine, cantered this morning, and seems in good nick.'

Idle Talk can be backed at 33-1 for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on December 1.

(C) PA Sport