O’Brien sets course for Aintree with Tripoli Flyer

Fergal O’Brien’s Tripoli Flyer has Aintree in his sights after his late withdrawal from the Cheltenham Festival.

The six-year-old was an intended participant in the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle but was declared a non-runner on the day of the contest as he was found to have a high temperature.

His novice hurdling season has been a real success so far and he was due to line up in the Supreme already a Grade Two winner, having taken the Dovecote at Kempton by over seven lengths in February.

He will now get another shot at adding a Grade One title to his CV before the end of the season, with the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree’s Grand National meeting very much on the agenda.

“Tripoli Flyer is fine, he had a temperature leading up to Cheltenham and we were hoping we’d get him there but it just wasn’t meant to be,” said O’Brien.

“We’ll take dead aim at Aintree now for the two-mile novice there.

“It would have been lovely to get to Cheltenham with him as his owner, Ismail (El Magdoub), is local but I suppose it just wasn’t meant to be.”

O’Brien also gave an update on Crambo, who fell heavily in the Stayers’ Hurdle and is pencilled in for Punchestown providing he bears no ill effects.

“He’s fine, he’s a little stiff and sore but it’s nothing permanent thankfully,” the trainer said.

“He’s eating well and he’s been out in the field. He landed quite heavily but I think in a few days he’ll be as right as rain.

“He’s had no luck at Cheltenham, that’s just the way it goes sometimes. It’s horses for courses and Cheltenham is definitely not the course for this horse!

“We’d love to get to Punchestown, right-handed on some nice ground. I think he’ll fly round there so we’d love to take him.”