Who needs Cheltenham? Pam Sly looking to Aintree with team in good form

Pam Sly is relieved she chose to target Aintree over Cheltenham with her stable star and hot prospect Eileendover, and her team were given a big confidence boost with two weeks to go thanks to the small but talented Takeit Easy.

The six-year-old was sent off the 11-8 favourite for the 2m handicap hurdle and finished strongly after the last to defeat Hydroplane by a length and a half. That success was his second of the season.

"He's very small but sometimes the small ones can be quite nice," said Sly. "I thought Kielan [Woods, jockey] gave him a great ride as he looked a bit keen early on. He'll only go so far because of his size.

Pam Sly: trainer of Takeit Easy and Eileendover

"The handicapper's been a bit dire on me recently so I don't know what they'll do with him – we'll have to see what he gets. We'd like to go for a better race next."

It was a ninth winner of the season for Sly, who is in the process of preparing the unbeaten Eileendover for the Grade 2 mares' bumper at the Grand National meeting.

Connections were glad they avoided the temptation of the Cheltenham Festival last week – but that may have been their only chance, with the four-year-old's future destined for the Flat.

Sly added: "She's coming on nicely, she's in for a bit more work and I'm hoping she'll get there. I'm glad I didn't go to Cheltenham, I don't think we'd have beaten the [Willie] Mullins horse Sir Gerhard – it'd have been a struggle.

"She's not a jumping mare, she's finer and not built that way. We'd look to go on the Flat after Aintree."

Sad loss

The featured 3m handicap chase went the way of Checkitout for Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies, although the race was marred by a fatal injury suffered by the admirable Capeland, who was pulled up at the start of the second circuit.

Checkitout was recording back-to-back victories and is now poised to tackle the £50,000 Novices' Champion Handicap Chase on Scottish National day at Ayr on April 17.

Checkitout: impressive winner at Ludlow on ThursdayCredit: Pool

"I'd hope he can continue progressing," said Sam Twiston-Davies, who also partnered Fontana Ellissi to win for his father. "We'd really like to look at the valuable novice handicap chase at Ayr.

"He'll like the ground and touch wood he's learnt to jump now. I don't know if that might come up a bit quick but he's a good horse and a pleasure to have around."

O'Neill on course

Jonjo O'Neill Jr continues to close in on his best seasonal winners tally after his only ride of the day, Apache Creek, notched up a hat-trick in fine style.

The win in the 2m5f handicap raises O'Neill's total to 59, just three away from beating the mark he set last year on his way to being crowned champion conditional jockey.

"I'm delighted with that," he said. "I had a couple weeks off [with injury] so I was kind of thinking I'd struggle but with the help of Jerry Hill, my mum and everyone else it's great to be back on track. I'm hopeful to beat it and go past it."

Results, replays and analysis

Read more race reports:

Jack Foley gains first British win in incident-packed conditionals' race

Chef D'Oeuvre prevails as marathon handicap chase serves up a feast

Title race is on as Skelton closes Hughes gap to five with 67-1 four-timer

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