After a triumphant return, the Old Roan champion Minella Drama will skip the Grand Sefton Chase but could take on the National fences later this season.
Minella Drama, the Old Roan hero, will not participate in the Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree next weekend, although connections have not ruled out a future run over the iconic National fences. The nine-year-old, trained by Donald McCain, made a triumphant return to action this season, securing a commendable front-running victory at Grade Two level at 3-1 under jockey Brian Hughes. This win marked his eighth career victory in 23 starts across hurdles and fences, with the popular gelding only finishing out of the money twice.
While Minella Drama holds an entry for the Grand Sefton on November 9—a potential first experience of the Grand National fences—McCain has decided the race comes too soon after his recent success. "He’s in great form and cantered this morning, feeling fresh as paint," McCain reported on Friday. "It was wonderful for the horse to have that significant win; he’s run some fantastic races, and we’ve always believed there’s a big day in him. He truly deserves it."
Despite the horse's excellent condition, McCain acknowledged the challenges of finding suitable races for him. "He always gives 100 percent; he's a star. I’m currently looking for races, but he’s not the easiest to place. We’ll devise a plan, and there are a couple of options, but nothing is confirmed yet. I don’t want to rush him back to racing," he added.
Regarding the Grand Sefton, McCain said, "We won’t confirm him for the Sefton as it feels a bit soon, but we entered him to keep the option open for the National track. I wouldn’t send him for the old course, but I’d definitely consider the modern-day National track."
McCain also provided an update on Maximilian, who showed great promise as a novice hurdler, winning the River Don and finishing second in the Sefton at Aintree before an injury sidelined him for the past season. He has returned to the early stages of training and may switch to jumping fences this season. McCain commented, "He’s cantering now; he didn’t come back until a bit later, so we’re keeping things steady. I’m very happy with him at this stage. It’s highly likely he’ll go over fences, but it’s too early to set a date—we’ll focus on keeping him healthy."
