3 minute read

Cheltenham Festival winner Spring Heeled is having his campaign built around the 2015 Crabbie's Grand National.

The seven-year-old clinched the Kim Muir at the big meeting in March, a little under 24 hours before stable companion Lord Windermere claimed Gold Cup glory to give trainer Jim Culloty a Festival double from only two runners.

Culloty won the National in 2002 on Bindaree and believes Spring Heeled has all the right credentials - as long as the ground is not soft.

"He's in brilliant order but he's not a winter horse," Culloty told At The Races.

"He ran in the bet365 Gold Cup but it had rained and then we trained him for the Galway Plate where he finished fourth and arguably he should have been second but he was squeezed up on the final bend. He wouldn't have beaten the winner (Road To Riches), but it was a good, solid run.

"We have set our stall out for the Grand National, that's our main aim with him this year.

"He had a break after Galway but has been back in training now a few weeks. He's in super order, he'll possibly have a run over hurdles around February, he probably won't run over fences until the National weights are out.

"I can see him as a National horse. He's almost an idle type of horse which allows him to stay very well and he has that little bit of class that's required.

"He's very athletic over his obstacles but there is one key, he just will not act on soft ground.

"If it turns up soft in April we'll just have to abandon our plan for another year but on good ground I can see him taking to it."

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