Peddler issue comes to light Donald McCain expects Peddlers Cross to bounce back from his disappointing display at Kempton after a couple of issues came to light following that run. Last season's Champion Hurdle runner-up made a seamless transition to chasing game, winning twice at Bangor to take him to the top of the ante-post lists for the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival in March. But his comprehensive defeat at the hands of new Arkle favourite Sprinter Sacre in last month's Wayward Lad Novices' Chase perplexed his trainer, who admits he is pleased to have found something to explain the below-par performance. "It was obvious to me that he wasn't himself and we have found a couple of things that weren't right," said McCain. "There are a couple of issues. What we have found is more than enough to fully justify his run. "We're sorting the problem out and hopefully we should be OK and we can get him back on track. "I think now we've found those problems there is no reason for us to change our original plan and all going well, we're aiming towards the Arkle. "I've never been so pleased to find a problem with a horse in my whole life." While McCain is now looking forward to Cheltenham again with his star performer, he has cast some doubt over whether the seven-year-old will run again in the meantime. "The issues we've found are going to need a bit of management so we'll try to sort that before we make plans for his next run," the trainer added. "It would be nice to get another run in before Cheltenham, of course it would, but if we don't I wouldn't be unduly concerned."
