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Aintree Next For Katchit 03/04/07

Trainer Alan King revealed today that JCB Triumph Hurdle hero Katchit is primed to follow-up in the season’s most valuable juvenile hurdle, the £130,000 Grade One John Smith’s Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices’ Hurdle (3.10pm) at Aintree on Thursday, April 1.

The extended two-mile contest has been upgraded to Grade One status this season and is one of the highlights on day one of the prestigious three-day John Smith’s Grand National meeting.

King reported: "Katchit will go to Aintree and he’s in very good form. He’s due to work tomorrow (Wednesday) but as things are I’m very happy with him. He holds a Punchestown entry but he was only in there as a back-up"

The diminutive gelding has won six of his seven starts since making a successful hurdles debut with a nine-length defeat of Is It Me at Market Rasen in September and has exceeded King’s expectations in rising to the top of the juvenile hurdling division.

The Barbury Castle handler commented: "I’m totally thrilled with the way he’s progressed this season - amazed really! It’s been a wonderful story."

Katchit will attempt to emulate Detroit City (2006) and Pollardstown (1979), who are the only horses to have added the John Smith’s Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices’ Hurdle to a JCB Triumph Hurdle victory.

King’s charge surged nine lengths clear of the pursuing Liberate for an authoritative win at Cheltenham last time but the trainer will happily settle for a lesser margin of victory in the Liverpool Grade One contest.

He said: "I’ll be over the moon if he wins at Aintree regardless of the distance! He sets the standard for them and I’m pleased with him so we’ll see how he gets on."

The John Smith’s Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices’ Hurdle, first run in 1977, was won in 1999 by Hors La Loi III who had secured the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on his previous start and went on to land the Grade One Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in 2002.

The John Smith’s Grand National meeting is one of the highlights of the sporting year and offers three days of fantastic entertainment (Thursday, April 12 - Saturday, April 14), the pinnacle of which is the world’s most famous steeplechase, the spectacular £700,000 John Smith’s Grand National.

The great race sees a maximum of 40 horses and riders compete over four and a half miles, jumping 30 fences, in a thrilling display that is watched by an estimated 600 million people worldwide.