Gary Moore hopes flat Vino Griego can bounce back

Gary Moore has admitted that exciting prospect Vino Griego may not have been fit enough when flopping on his hurdling debut behind Inventor at Ascot last month.

The four-year-old was a six-length winner of a heavy-ground bumper at the track in February and hopes were high that he could become a leading player for either the Supreme Novices' Hurdle or Ballymore Properties Hurdle.

Now the trainer feels the Kahyasi gelding is on a retrieval mission at Sandown this weekend.

Moore said: "He was very disappointing at Ascot. But it may be that I just didn't have him fit enough. I hope that's the case.

"He has an entry in the Grade 2 Winter Novices' Hurdle on Friday, but unless it cuts up, he'll run in the first race on Saturday. Hopefully, he won't disappoint us this time. I hope he's a lot better than that!"

Meanwhile, James Fanshawe will keep the wraps on Champion Hurdle hope Cesare for a bit longer.

The Cheveley Park-owned eight-year-old, who has netted almost £350,000 in a long career as a miler on the Flat, was set for his hurdling debut at Leicester on Thursday.

But Fanshawe, who won the Champion Hurdle with Royal Gait in 1992 and Hors La Loi III 10 years later, said that Cesare will have to wait. "The ground will be too soft at Leicester," he said. "We will wait for better going, although he could go to Doncaster on 12 December."