Greatrex considers Cheltenham after Out Sam's triumph

A high-profile acquisition from Nicky Henderson’s stable, Out Sam was an 80-length winner at the North Yorkshire track before stepping up in class at the weekend under a canny Gavin Sheehan ride.

Greatrex is following the route that Jonjo O’Neill undertook with Holywell two years ago when AP McCoy’s mount got off the mark over fences in the Richmond Beginners’ Chase at Catterick before landing Grade One honours at Aintree when beating the likes of Don Cossack.

The trainer, who will saddle Cheltenham prospect Warrantor at Catterick today if the course passes an early morning inspection, believes Out Sam has still to show his true colours and will be even better with a faster pace and less testing ground.

“We will have to look at Cheltenham after that. It looks like he will be out of handicaps now,” he said.

“I have been waiting to step him up to three miles and this looked a good opportunity. He travelled and jumped well. He will also be better on better ground. He has a bit of class and just does enough, which is something I like to see.”

Nicky Henderson is “not ruling anything out” for L’Ami Serge despite his surprise defeat at Warwick on Saturday.

He reported the six-year-old to be “very perky” yesterday morning and was at a loss to explain his under-par display in the Kingmaker Novices’ Chase.

Sent off 1-5 favourite to beat two rivals, last month’s Wetherby winner was beaten 11 lengths by Violet Dancer.

However, Henderson dismissed reports that L’Ami Serge would definitely miss the two-mile Racing Post Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham.

“He’s sound as a pound and we will have to try to find out what went wrong, because it did,” said the trainer.

Meanwhile, Ed de Giles is “70-30” in favour of running Akavit in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham.

After opening his account at Wetherby on his second start over hurdles the four-times Flat winner followed it up with a clear cut success in a juvenile contest at Sandown last week.

David Griffiths is eyeing the Hever Stakes later this month at Lingfield as a possible starting point for veteran sprinter Take Cover before a possible trip to Dubai next month.

Despite the son of Singspiel now being nine, the Bawtry handler has reported him to be still showing the same levels of enthusiasm having taken part in his first piece of serious work recently.

With the Group Two winner thriving at present, Griffiths harbours hopes of Take Cover lining up in the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan. “I’ve always thought that the five furlongs on the turf track at Meydan would suit him and I would love to go out there with him,” he said.