Jamie Snowden admits that Datsalrightgino 'hated the ground' in Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown

Jamie Snowden explained that heavy ground was the reason why Datsalrightgino pulled up in the Grade 1 Unibet Tolworth Novices' Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

The race was won by the Nicky Henderson-trained Constitution Hill, but Snowden’s six-year-old lost touch and tailed off before being pulled up three from the finish.

The Folly House handler has seen Datalrightgino win his two previous races, including a British EBF "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

When asked about the race, he said: “He obviously hated the ground, we had another mare on the same day – Anythingforlove – and she was second in the listed race.

“She loved the ground, but poor old Datsalrightgino hated the ground.

“As Nico de Boinville said on the winner [Constitution Hill] cantering down to the start, he knew within 10 yards that the horse would handle the ground and Gavin Sheehan [jockey] said cantering down to the start that Datsalrightgino would hate it.

“We’ll just put a line through it and freshen him up,” added Snowden. “He’ll handle soft ground, just not that Sandown deep ground.

“He is still a good horse, the ability didn’t take a beating as he just didn’t handle the deep ground and the deep ground around Sandown is very different to soft ground most other places.”

Lessons have been learned after Saturday’s race and he has been thinking about where the gelding might run next.

“We have learned that he won’t want that ground and he’s still a good horse and the form of his Cheltenham win has been boosted.

“The horse that finished second that day [Jpr One] has come out and bolted up since, but he is a good horse and we’ll just avoid that deep ground again.

“There is a Grade 2 in Kelso, in early March, so we might think about that and we have Aintree on the back of that.

“I think we’ll forget about Cheltenham and we’ll look at Kelso and then Aintree.”

Meanwhile, Anythingforlove ran a superb race to finish second in the listed Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day Mares' Hurdle.

“She ran a really good race and on rating she was 14 inferior to the winner, she was carrying a pound extra and she got beaten by a length.

“It was a fair performance, we stayed on until the last and it was over two-and-a-half miles.

“Over course and distance she obviously won a Grade 2 last season, she is a sister to Sizing John – who won a Gold Cup.”

Snowden is eyeing the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock for Anythingforlove.

“We might think about the Rendlesham – the Grade 2 up at Haydock over three miles – and there is a Grade 2 at Ascot this month, but it might come too soon.”