Leading novice chaser Allmankind will swerve Aintree says his trainer Dan Skelton and instead will take on a new trip of 2m4f at Ayr, with the five year old looking to headline a strong team for the handler at the Scottish Grand National meeting next month.
Having been trained on the flat before his national hunt career many thought that the four year old would stay over hurdles but Skelton this season decided to send him over the bigger obstacles and it has paid off.
He started his life over hurdles at Warwick seeing off an average field in good style but what he has done since that has been superb.
He headed to Cheltenham in the Grade Two Triumph Hurdle Trial and after going from the front he could not be stopped winning well, with the second, third and fourth since going on to frank that form.
He did the same when he went to Chepstow over Christmas landing the first Grade One of his career in the Finale Juvenile Hurdle and that set up a run in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival.
Having been prominent in the market he could only finish a fading third and he headed back to Prestbury Park last time out for his seasonal debut and again was underwhelming.
Skelton sent him over fences at Warwick in the Stan Mellor Memorial Novices’ Chase and he put in a faultless round of jumping to land the event with ease.
Allmankind - a very exciting prospect
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 5, 2020
🏇 Two runs over fences
🥇 Two wins
🏆 Grade One Henry VIII Novices' Chase
A spectacular jumping performance from Allmankind to plunder Grade One honours & remain unbeaten over fences for @harryskelton89 & @DSkeltonRacing at @Sandownpark pic.twitter.com/fO5GyKKLDW
The form of that 13 length win has since been franked with second placed Zanza winning next time out at Newbury in a Handicap Chase.
Next time out the superstar stepped up to Grade One company over fences for the first time in his career and made a mockery of a superb field to land the Henry VII Novices' Chase at Sandown.
He extended his unbeaten record over fences to three races at Warwick last time out when landing the Grade Two Kingmaker Novices' Chase by 14 lengths.
Stepping up for the biggest test of his career at Cheltenham in the Arkle last time out, he got slightly found out when his front running tactics did not work.
Skelton is set to swerve Shishkin at Aintree not wanting another comprehensive beating and instead try his jumping star over half a mile further in the Grade 2 Future Champion Novices' Chase at Ayr.
(Credit Racing Post) "Allmankind is in great form," he said.
"They went quite fast from the front at Cheltenham and while we got a little breather at the top of the hill, it wasn't enough.
"He'll be in my team for Ayr and is going to try two and a half miles for the first time. It's exciting to do and it could open a few more doors for him, so we thought let's try it now."
He added: "Ultimately we all got well beaten by Shishkin, but Allmankind is a tough horse. He's been beaten before and came back from it, I'm sure he can do the same again at Ayr."