Samcro is ready to begin his career as a novice chaser at Down Royal at the beginning of next month.
The Gordon Elliott-trained seven-year-old won his first four races over hurdles, including a victory in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March 2018.
But Samcro, who began last season as hot favourite for the Champion Hurdle flopped with defeats on each of his three outings.
“The plan for Samcro is to head up north to Down Royal - hopefully the real Samcro can show up this season,” said owner Michael O’Leary’s brother and racing manager Eddie reported yesterday.
“He’s had a full MOT and he’s had a breathing op. Gordon seems happy with him.”
Reflecting on the decision not to run Samcro after his fifth of six in the Grade 1 Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown in December.
O’Leary added: “We pulled up stumps early - that could be a blessing in disguise and he wouldn’t have had his ground in any case.”
Elsewhere, Redcar has been forced to cancel Saturday's eight-race card - officials inspected the racing surface at 9am on Thursday - after heavy rain left some parts of the Teesside course waterlogged.
Four races of Brighton’s seven-strong programme had to be called off too - three sprint contests were run - when jockeys reported a false patch of ground behind the six-furlong start.
