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Racing: Bobbyjo heading for Whitbread thriller

Monday 12 April 1999 00:02 BST
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BOBBYJO, THE Grand National winner, may reappear in the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown a week on Saturday where he could meet Double Thriller, who fell at the first fence at Aintree on Saturday.

Paul Nicholls, who trains Double Thriller, said yesterday: "He's out in the paddock here now and is as right as rain. It was one of those unfortunate things that happen in a race like the Grand National. He jumped the fence ok but just seemed to crumple and go down.

"Some people reckoned he unseated Joe Tizzard but I've watched the replay and it's definitely a fall. Anyway, the main thing is that the horse is all right as he jumped round loose for a circuit and then pulled himself up. But he seems fine and the Whitbread Gold Cup could be next."

However, Call It A Day, third in the National and last year's Whitbread winner, is unlikely to attempt a repeat victory. He was given a clean bill of health yesterday on his return to David Nicholson's stable. But his trainer, who also reported Baronet none the worse for his fourth-fence fall in the National, is not keen to aim him at the Sandown feature.

Nicholson said: "Call It A Day and Baronet are absolutely fine. I would doubt that Call It A Day will run in the Whitbread. We will decide in a day or two but he has just gone four and a half miles round Aintree. It is more likely that Baronet will run - he is fine after his fall."

Ferdy Murphy, who trains Addington Boy, is already plotting a tilt at next year's National after the gelding's fourth place.

Murphy said yesterday: "Addington Boy will now go on his summer holidays and hopefully he will be back for the race next year,. He will start off in the autumn, have a mid-season break, then go back to Aintree. We were delighted with him yesterday. He ran a fantastic race and he has come back in one piece."

Tony McCoy is taking a day off today due to the effects of his heavy fall in the Grand National. The champion jockey, shaken when his mount, Eudipe, fell fatally at Becher's on the second circuit on Saturday, will miss today's meeting at Kelso.

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