Irish prospect The Big Dog still in the race for crack at Aintree Grand National

The Big Dog is still in contention for the Randox Grand National at Aintree, according to trainer Peter Fahey.

Currently a 50-1 chance with Bet365 for the Aintree Marathon on April 9, The Big Dog was stopped before the 10th closing by Jonathan Burke in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow last week after a mistake made him lose an iron.

However, the Irish manager hasn’t lost faith in the nine-year-old, who could look to continue last season’s success at Punchestown’s big national trial next month for owners Damien and Colin Kelly.

“He’ll have a few entries in the remaining handicaps here and we’ll decide what we’re going to do, but maybe we’re aiming for the English National, if we can meet him before now and then,” Fahey said.

“He’s got very little exposure to be honest, but we’re hoping to give him a nice handicap here. Whether he’ll take part in the Punchestown Grand National Trial which he won last season, we’ll see in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Fahey is expected to keep unbeaten winner The Big Dean a secret until the Cheltenham Festival in March.

The five-year-old, owned by Money For Jam Syndicate, has won two impressive wins at Roscommon and Punchestown, winning the latter by 15 lengths, and is as low as 8-1 with BetVictor for Champion Bumper.

“The Big Dean produced a great performance in Punchestown. At the moment the plan is to go straight to Cheltenham. Fahey said.

“The owners are looking forward to going there. He’s a very big horse and we don’t want to overtake him.

However, Royal Kahala, who claimed their third success over hurdles in a third year contest at Leopardstown last week, should have one more run before losing at the Mares’ Hurdle in Cheltenham.

The seven-year-old is currently as low as the 5-1 joint favorite with Paddy Power for the two and a half mile event.

Fahey said: “She came out of the race very well after a great performance.

“She will have an entry in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park at the end of the month (Thursday January 27) and will probably have an entry in a handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival, but she will have a race by the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.