Friday 19 December 2014 16:33, UK
Dr Richard Newland admits he is looking for some improvement from Pineau De Re when his Crabbie's Grand National hero takes to the track again next month ahead of his bid for a repeat victory in the world's greatest steeplechase.
Pineau De Re disappointed connections when pulled up in a Pertemps Hurdle qualifier at Carlisle on Sunday and Newland wants to give the 11-year-old another chance in a similar contest.
"I was pretty disappointed with him at Carlisle. Everyone knows we are training him with the National in mind," Newland told At The Races.
"He's an older horse and probably a bit stuffier than I've given him credit for and it's taken me a lot longer than I thought to get him up in top form. There's plenty of time yet, but he does need to show more in the new year.
"He's got a chase mark of 151 after the National last year. If he loses four times in a row, he'll still be running off 151 come the big day assuming he gets there and if he ran well of 151 he'd have the risk of going up. We wouldn't want to go any further up than we already are.
"Hurdles is probably the easiest way to keep him in one piece to reduce the risk of injury to make sure he is tuned up for that one big day.
"We had to play catch up last year. He had to win a race to qualify. Off his mark he will definitely get a run as long as we can get him there in one piece so it's a completely different approach.
"There are a couple of Pertemps qualifiers in mid-January at Warwick and Huntingdon. He will go for one of those, I would think.
"We do need to race him. He does need his races to bring him on fitness-wise. I shall be looking for some improvement, hopefully then."
Though Leighton Aspell steered Pineau De Re to Aintree glory in 2014, Daryl Jacob and 5lb claimer Christopher Ward have been in the saddle on his two starts this term but Newland is in no hurry to book a rider for the big race in April.
"We will worry about a jockey (for the National) nearer the time, see who's available and who's fit," said the Worcester handler.
"My job is to get him the horse there in one piece, looking like he's a worthy contender."
