Gavin Cromwell’s William Hill blog: No decision on Flooring Porter yet

Updates

Flooring Porter has entries in the Stayers’ Hurdle and the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham next month, but we’re not leaning towards anything just yet. He’s been chasing all season but we’ll see closer to the time and make our decision then. We’re in a much better place than we were last year; I think he was only just about back riding out this time last year, having stood in his box for a while. We’re happy with him now, and we’ll make a decision when we have to.

He’s a dual winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle, but – on his run at Christmas in Leopardstown – he’ll have to take a good step forward, I think, to win the National Hunt Chase.

Vanillier has an entry in the Grand National and we might see him in the Bobby Jo before he goes to Aintree. He’s been running away, and we hope that – being a year older – he hasn’t got any slower. Hopefully, he’ll show a bit more in the Bobby Jo and, with any luck, the handicapper won’t put him up too much.

He ran a cracker in that race last year and took a step forward for it, so we’ll go the same route this year.

Then, Limerick Lace is going to have an entry in the Mares’ Chase, which – I would think – will be the only entry she will have. She came out of Doncaster well and she’s cantering away now and is in good nick, so we’ll aim her towards that. She’s very effective on soft ground, so the softer the better for her come the time.

🗣️ "We’re not leaning towards anything just yet."@gavincromwell1 gives an update on his stable stars, including Flooring Porter, as well as previewing Malina Girl's run at Exeter on Sunday ⤵️

— William Hill Racing (@WillHillRacing) February 9, 2024

Exeter, Sunday 

We’re running Malina Girl at Exeter in the Listed Mares’ Chase (4.05pm). It’s a good, competitive race, but she’s entitled to be in it. She didn’t perform very well the last day at Warwick, carrying a lot of weight in a handicap and giving a lot of weight away to the field. She’s only a small, little mare and it’s hard for her to do that and she’s off levels again in the mares’ race, so hopefully she has a chance.

She’s been a brilliant servant for us and won the Ulster National last year. She’s only small, at 15.3hh, but she has a big heart and big engine.