Activial out of Triumph....

Why would anyone do that? It's like not turning up for the Champions League final because you fancy your chances in the Johnstons Paint Trophy (with all due respect to Aintree - it's great in its own right but it ain't Cheltenham).

Well, it's a rough old race. I had a runner in the 2000 Triumph and I can understand why owners pull them out. They're only 4, they're inexperienced, the race is always run at a furious pace and it breaks a lot of them. Good for Harry Fry, I say.

What was the point of leaving him in at the confirmation stage today

wondering why Nicholls is breaking that news

He said the same sort of thing at Betfair preview in the week so not really new info.

What did Nicholls say? Was it along the lines of would you mind awfully stepping aside as I would like as little opposition as possible?

Harry Fry has made a very good start but he made a complete hash of the Mendip Express preparation and now this crazy decision. Whatever Fehily said after Kempton it wouldn't have taken too much effort to have torn his argument to shreds.

I dont think you can blame Fry, you have to blame me as he was the only A/P bet I had and at 33/1, gutted.

Confirmed now by trainer

Appreciate the perils of AP punting but why talk the horse up for the Triumph beforehand? I was on NRNB but me mate's done his cash

Fry said after his last run that it was doubtful if he would go to the festival

prior to Kempton Fehily was talking him up for the Triumph