Aintree next on the agenda for Buddy One after 'great run' to finish fourth in the Stayers' Hurdle

Trainer Paul Gilligan is planning to give Buddy One another Grade 1 assignment at Aintree after his "great run" when fourth behind Teahupoo in the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The seven-year-old, a winner at Cheltenham's meeting in November, seemed to struggle when pulling up quickly in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown but it was reported afterwards he was suffering with a back issue.

He returned to run a career-best at the festival in the hands of the trainer's son Jack, when beaten eight lengths by Teahupoo.

The Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle on April 13 could be next on the agenda for Gilligan's stable star and connections are looking forward to seeing what heights he can scale over fences next season.

Gilligan said: "Buddy One came out of Cheltenham brilliant. He's in great shape and he's back doing his routine canters now and all looks good with him. It was a great run and I was delighted with him.

"He'll probably go to Aintree for the Liverpool Hurdle on the Saturday. 

"We're thinking of going over fences next season – he'll probably start out at Galway in October. Please God we can get back to Cheltenham with him next year. That's where you want to be and we want more horses like him to get to those kind of places."

Gilligan also brought Kings Hill and Sequestered to the festival and he was particularly happy with the former, who finished ninth behind Slade Steel in the Supreme. 

Gilligan said: "I was very happy with how all our horses ran at Cheltenham and I thought Kings Hill ran a good race in the Supreme considering the ground was gone on him. He wants proper, nice ground and was only beaten 15 lengths, which was a really good effort in his first Grade 1.

"He might go to Aintree as well if the ground is nice. Depending on what rating he gets, I'd love to think he could make up into a Galway Hurdle horse during the summer off a light weight."

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