Grade One Tolworth Hurdle winner Metier will swerve Aintree says his trainer Harry Fry and will instead be aimed at a tilt on the flat, with the five year old originating from the level before this season.
The five year old had been a horse running on the flat before coming over to England and he was given to Harry Fry who sent him straight over hurdles.
It has been one of the best decisions for this horse being unbeaten on all three starts over obstacles, winning a Novices' Hurdle at Newton Abbot on debut and then backing that up at Ascot next time out in an Introductory Handicap.
Fry thought it was time to step him up to Grade One company at Sandown in the Tolworth Hurdle and it saw the gelding thrive in the heavy conditions to kick away after the last and win by 12 lengths.
He was then saved for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle where he made a mistake early on and never really recovered, being outclassed on the day.
It looked as though Aintree was next on the agenda for the youngster, but in a turn of events Fry has announced that he was not quite right after the race and he will now be allowed plenty of time to recover.
🟠 Not the strongest of Grade 1 races, but METIER has hammered them in the Tolworth! @HarryFryRacing1 has two nice novices in him & Boothill this season!
— The Winners Enclosure (@TWEnclosure) January 2, 2021
📹 @RacingTV pic.twitter.com/vX7efwiRFs https://t.co/xVsMsLBvc0
(Credit Racing Post) "Metier wasn't quite right after the Supreme and we're just letting him come back to himself before making any immediate plans, but he will not be going to Aintree," Fry said.
"We're not putting it down to the ground at Cheltenham but it was clearly not his running given what we saw earlier in the season."
Fry is extremely open to the idea of running Metier back on the flat, still holding a handy mark of 88 we could see the gelding head into some of the two mile contests on offer in Britain during the flat season.
He added: "He came off the Flat, so we could consider returning him to the level this year, but nothing has been finalised.
"There's plenty of major handicaps and whether we decide to have a go at one in the spring or in the autumn, we'll just have to see.
"First and foremost, we just need to get him back to himself and make sure he is 100 per cent."