Saint Calvados finished for season
Tuesday 20 March 2018 12:39, UK
Harry Whittington has earmarked the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown as the first major target for Saint Calvados next season.
The Sparsholt handler has decided to call it a day for this term with the Andrew Brooks-owned five-year-old after he suffered his first defeat since moving to Britain when finishing fourth in the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival last week.
Whittington said: "I think he handled the occasion well and he was very good before the race. He was very professional and you couldn't fault any of that.
"In an ideal world he would have got an easy lead but that was not the case. They went very hard and it was hard enough for a horse of his age to do that against a horse like Petit Mouchoir. Aidan (Coleman) did the right thing with him to ease him home.
"The most important thing is that he has come back in one piece. It was not ideal how the race panned out but he didn't have a very hard race and he has come out of it in great condition without a scratch on him. That's him done for the season.
"I think the Tingle Creek will be at the forefront of our minds next season. We will let Andrew and his team get together in the summer to make firm plans. Whether we take in something like a Haldon Gold Cup before I'm not sure.
"Next year we can space his runs out nicely up to Cheltenham between October and March."
A trip to Aintree could be on the cards for Simply The Betts with Whittington considering an outing in the Grade One Betway Top Novices' Hurdle on April 13 should conditions be in his favour.
The five-year-old, who like Saint Calvados is owned by Brooks, finished down the field in the Supreme on Tuesday.
"He hated the ground at Cheltenham but he stayed on all the way to finish mid-division. Sean (Bowen) said the ground was too soft," said Whittington
"He is a very tough horse and we will keep him on the go. If the ground dries out we might consider running him in the two-mile Grade One there.
"If he wins great but if he gets beat he is still a novice for next season. He could well be one tailor-made for those valuable two mile handicaps next season."
