Fota Island on track for Aintree

Racing: Fota Island is on course for the John Smith's Melling Chase at Aintree next month.

Racing: Fota Island is on course for the John Smith's Melling Chase at Aintree next month.

The Mouse Morris-trained gelding put up a personal best performance at the Cheltenham Festival last Wednesday when he finished a nine-length second to runaway winner Newmill in the Champion Chase.

The Irish 10-year-old has taken the Cheltenham race in his stride and he could now bid to go one better in the Liverpool Grade One contest on April 7th.

"He's grand and he seemed to be staying on at Cheltenham so he'll probably go to Liverpool for the two-and-a-half-miler," said Morris.

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"I think he was the only one running on at the end but the winner won well in fairness to him. Fota Island did us proud and if you get in the first three in a championship race you can't complain."