LAST week's Jameson Irish Grand National third The Grey Monk is unlikely to run again this season, his owner revealed yesterday. The gelding is set to bypass the Scottish equivalent a week next Saturday in favour of being turned out to grass.
The Gordon Richards trained gelding was sent off favourite for last Monday's £100,000 Fairyhouse contest but owner Alistair Duff was far from unhappy to see him pass the post around 11 lengths adrift of the winner Mudahim.
"It was certainly fast ground, it changed from the morning to the afternoon of the race. It really was too fast he was an unhappy horse running and that's why I was so pleased with the way he came in third.
"He will most likely go out to grass and have a nice summer. We will pray for rain next season!
"I wouldn't say he definitely won't run this season but it is 95 per cent sure. He'll be going, I hope, to give us great fun next season.
"I can't really answer where he will start next season but we will have something very pleasant planned for him and just hope the ground is to his liking.
The Grey Monk was second in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury last November and was a leading contender for last month's Cheltenham Gold Cup until his withdrawal on the eve of the race due to the fast ground.
Meanwhile, Walter Swinburn returns to the saddle for the first time this year at Nottingham today.
The three time Derby winning jockey has just one mount, on Spy Knoll for Michael Stoute in the Lowdham Maiden.
Swinburn delayed his start to the 1997 season until the completion of a court case which saw him being fined £500 after he admitted assaulting a restaurant owner and damaging a glass door.
During the trial it emerged that he is suffering from an eating disorder.
The incident occurred after Swinburn's sponsored walk through Ireland which raised £60,000 for charity.
He had been inspired to make the walk by the fate of children he met in hospital in Hong Kong when recovering from life threatening injuries suffered in a fall at Sha Tin in February, 1996.
Swinburn made a winning return to action last August, scoring on his first ride back at Windsor, and went on to gain the richest success of his career on Pilsudski in the Breeders Cup Turf at Woodbine in Canada.
