2025 Plate Handicap Chase winner Jagwar is to be stepped up in trip at both the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree. The seven-year-old has the Grand National in his sights at the latter meeting.
Jagwar’s trainers, Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero, also handle Grand National ante-post favourite Iroko. However, Jagwar is set to join him over the famous fences once a tilt at the Ultima Handicap Chase has been completed.
A progressive chaser over the last two seasons, Jagwar shot through the ranks last season. His improvement culminated in his Cheltenham Festival triumph, while two placed efforts over middle distances this campaign have only seen him rise further up the handicap.
Nevertheless, connections clearly believe there is more to come from him in staying chases. He is the clear ante-post favourite for the Ultima Handicap Chase, while he is also guaranteed a run in the Grand National. He was number 34 in the handicap, with that being the exact number of the maximum field.
“Racing like that will suit” – Guerriero
Josh Guerriero, one of Jagwar’s joint trainers, outlined how his team are thinking for the remainder of the season.
Speaking to the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, as reported by Sporting Life, Guerriero said: “I think it’s most likely we’re going to go for the Ultima at Cheltenham and then I suppose depending on that, it will tell us whether we go to Aintree or not.
“I think Mr McManus and the team are all quite keen to have a go at Aintree if it did pan out.”
Though he is yet to race beyond 2m4f, staying trips have always been likely to suit. As a relatively young horse, this appears always to have been in his trainers’ minds.
“He’s bred that way (for staying trips). He was always just quite keen as a younger horse and now he’s relaxing… Jonjo (O’Neill Jr) is adamant we go up in trip, he says he just races a little bit behind the bridle these days which is obviously great, but obviously over two and a half miles it makes it difficult for him.
“Over three miles, racing like that will suit and maybe it’ll just help his jumping a bit, going that bit slower.”
Comparisons will naturally be drawn with his stablemate regarding the Grand National. Guerriero is refusing to rule either out, despite Iroko’s more prominent position in the betting.
“If you worked them at home then Jagwar would be 10 lengths clear of Iroko,” Guerriero said. “Iroko is very slow and just workmanlike but get him on the track and his will to win and toughness, the way he stays and runs his races… we’re just very lucky to have two horses like them and have got to make the most of it.”