Julius Des Pictons will have to wait for novice chasing campaign

Jamie Snowden has opted for the patient approach with Julius Des Pictons, after ruling his Grade One scorer out for the season.

The six-year-old gave the Lambourn handler his first top-level success when landing the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in the spring and was due to embark on a novice chasing campaign this season, but will now sit out the campaign.

Snowden said: “We didn’t have to rule him out, but that’s what we’ve decided to do.

“We could have had him back for the second half of the season, but we felt patience is never the wrong thing and we want him for a whole season of novice chasing rather than a half a season of novice chasing.

“We’ll give him time and have him back for next season.”

Snowden, who is a BetVictor ambassador, had more success in Liverpool when landing his first telling blow of the new season with Colonel Harry over the Grand National fences in the Grand Sefton at the weekend.

Cheltenham’s December Gold Cup was highlighted as an immediate target in the aftermath of that victory, but Snowden has also handed the eight-year-old an entry for the Becher Chase, which could yet signal another big occasion over the famous spruce on Merseyside.

Snowden added: “The plan was always to go from the Grand Sefton to the December Gold Cup, but the Beecher was an early-closing (race) and if we’re not entered we can’t run, so it’s always nice to have the option.

“We’ll make a final decision closer to the time and we know he goes over the National fences, so it’s nice to have options.”