Sober Glory bidding for Supreme compensation at Aintree

Sober Glory will attempt to gain compensation for his Supreme Novices’ Hurdle near miss at Aintree next month.

Philip Hobbs and Johnson White’s talented six-year-old attempted to make all in the Cheltenham Festival opener, but a mistake at the last handed the advantage to Nicky Henderson’s Old Park Star who obliged favourite backers with a length-and-a-half success.

It was a jumping error his team feel proved costly in the heat of battle but with neither Old Park Star nor the third Mydaddypaddy scheduled for Liverpool, the coast could be clear for Sober Glory to go one better than at Prestbury Park in the Top Novices’ Hurdle on April 10.

White said: “We’re very much looking at Aintree and we’ll stick at two miles. He will get further in time but at the moment there is no need to step up in trip.

“He travelled really well at Cheltenham and the winner and third from the Supreme are not going to Aintree – no doubt something else will turn up though – and hopefully we can jump all eight hurdles smoothly and get the result we know we’re capable.

“The last invariably cost him in the Supreme and then he got hampered on the run-in. He did very well to battle back for second from the position he was in.

“Having seen how he’s gone round Newbury this season, I think Aintree will suit, but having said that he has won round Exeter and ran brilliantly at Cheltenham so doesn’t need a flat track.”

He added: “He’s a massively exciting horse for the future and whatever he does this season is a real bonus. I think going chasing next year is the most likely course, but we don’t need to make that decision at the moment and we’ll enjoy what he’s doing over hurdles at the moment.”