Cap to embark on staying hurdle campaign
PA Sport 9:28am, Mon 19 Aug 2019
Connections of Grade One winner If The Cap Fits hope he can develop into a major player in all the staying hurdle contests this season.
The Harry Fry-trained seven-year-old showed stamina is his forte when signing off last season with victory in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree, on his first try over an extended three-mile trip.
Plans for the Paul and Clare Rooney-owned gelding return remain fluid, although the Coral Hurdle at Ascot in November, which If The Cap Fits claimed last year, has been identified as a potential starting point.
Jason Maguire, racing manager to the Rooneys, said: "If The Cap Fits went back to Harry Fry's a couple of weeks ago. He did a bit of pre-training back at our place.
"At the moment we are going down the Stayers' Hurdle route and that's what we are aiming for. He wants a trip, but we will probably start him off in the Ascot race he won last year, then we will see what else there is.
"His first time up to three miles at Aintree, he did nothing but stay. Although he only got up on the line, he stayed really well.
"We are hoping he can be a force in the staying ranks, but I'm sure there will be one or two more that come out of the woodwork."