Rembrandt Team Consider Wetherby Switch

Sir Rembrandt is far from certain to contest the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on December 27, despite pleasing connections at home.

The talented 10-year-old was travelling well when departing five-out in the stamina-sapping feature last year and handler Robert Alner had initially been keen to go for the race.

It now appears likely that he would have to carry top weight, however, and as Alner feels such an impost is likely to prove prohibitive, an alternative tilt at the skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby the day before looks on the cards.

He said: 'The horse is very well and Andrew jumped him yesterday and I rode him this morning. I'm very happy with him and he's ready to go somewhere.

'The Welsh National was the main objective but we're having second thoughts as it looks likely that he may well have top weight.

'I don't think any horse has won it for a long time with more than 11st so we're also going to enter him in the Rowland Meyrick up at Wetherby.

'He'll probably have top weight in that too but three-miles-five with top weight at Chepstow is a really big ask.

'We'll enter him at Wetherby and as that's the day before, we can make a decision then.

'We were on 11st 5lb initially (in the Welsh National) and we would definitely have taken our chance off that but I'm not sure we will off 11st 12lb.'

Wherever Sir Rembrandt goes, he must bounce back from a disappointing effort at Cheltenham last time, although Alner believes there were mitigating circumstances.

'He was fine after his last run and we just ran him too quickly after he'd had a hard race at Wetherby in the Charlie Hall first time out. That was a fast-run race and he ran well to be third,' he added.

'The alternative race after that was the Becher but the owner didn't want to run him in that unless Andrew (Thornton) could ride him and he was still off with his fractured jaw.'

(C) PA Sport