Alan King's Cheltenham festival superstar Edwardstone will look to round off his season in style at Aintree's Grand National meeting as he bids for more Grade One glory over fences.
The gelding has been exceptional since going over fences this term, having a slight hiccup on debut when being bought down at Warwick when travelling well, but next time out put things right over the same C&D when taking a decent two mile Novices' Chase.
Stepped up to Grade One company next time out he went on to improve once more to land the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown, seeing off his closes rivals War Lord and Third Time Lucki by 16 lengths.
With the second and third since franking that form line, Edwardstone went to Kempton and also boosted it by making it a hat-trick of wins when landing the Grade Two Wayward Lad Novices' Chase.
Edwardstone - imperious in the Arkle for Alan King & @tomcannon2 @CheltenhamRaces
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 15, 2022
🏆 G1 Sporting Life Arkle Novices' Chase
🏆 G1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase
🏆 G2 Wayward Lad Novices' Chase
🏆 G2 Kingmaker Novices' Chase#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/iWXTwaO3FU
He made it four in a row last time out at Warwick in the Grade Two Kingmaker Novices' Chase when easily seeing off Third Time Lucki again.
Bar a small bit of bad luck, everything had gone to plan ahead of the Arkle and going off favourite for the Grade One event, he pinged the last and saw off the best of the division to land the race.
King has explained his eight-year-old to have come out of the race well and the Maghull Novices’ Chase on Grand National day (April 9) could be next on the agenda.
(Credit ATR) He said: “Edwardstone is absolutely fine."
I had a quick meeting with the owners at Southwell on Monday and the plan is to go to Aintree, as long as we’re happy with him.“
It will be Aintree or nowhere – I won’t go to Punchestown with him.“He will tell me. He seems in good order, but we don’t have to make a rushed decision on that.”