TERRY CASEY is confident he can have Rough Quest ready to make his intended seasonal reappearance in December, despite the Martell Grand National winner suffering a slight setback. The 10 year old knocked his off fore when cantering about seven weeks ago and was placed on the easy list.
"It was no big deal and we didn't want to make anything of it. He kept going all the time - he wasn't stuck in his box or anything," explained Casey. "We just thought it would be better to take it gently with him as there's no rush."
Casey said he plans to give Rough Quest a race in December and is hopeful of a good show in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day. "He won the Racing Post Chase there so he handles the track," he pointed out.
Casey added that the ground at his yard is very firm so Rough Quest has yet to be schooled. "But we have an all weather gallop and he looks great," he enthused.
He confirmed that his major long term targets are the Cheltenham Gold Cup - in which he finished second last season - and the Grand National.
"Hopefully we can get him really right for Cheltenham this time as he wasn't quite himself for a while last season for some reason," the trainer concluded.
. The Paddy Power Chase, formerly the Findus Chase, will be run at Leopardstown on December 27th. It will be worth £80,000, making it the second most valuable National Hunt handicap in the country.
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