Charlemar set to step up in trip following Tolworth disappointment

Harry Whittington believes that the time is right to step up in trip with Charlemar following his staying-on fifth in the Tolworth Hurdle.The five-year-old had won his two previous starts for Whittington, but Finian's Oscar proved far too good over two miles at Sandown and a switch upto two and a half miles is now on the cards. Whittington said: "He just hated the ground in the Tolworth. Aidan Coleman said he was a bit on the weak side still."That was the first race he has had a proper end-to-end gallop. Chepstow turned into a sprint and Aintree was a falsely-run race."I was disappointed at the bottom of the hill at Sandown as he was the first one off the bridle, but I was pleased enough the way he stayed on up the straight."He will go chasing next season, but I will probably step him up to two and a half miles now."He is rated 135 and we either run him in another novice under a double penalty, or we could go to Ascot in the middle of February for an open handicap hurdle."