G2 victory for Westerner's son Grandioso

The Paul Nicholls-trained Grandioso (6g Westerner-Champagne Warrior, by Waajib) showed great heart when battling gallantly to win the G2 Pendil Novices' Chase at Kempton on Saturday. Andrea and Graham Wylie's Westerner gelding, who was bred by Frank Barry, had won a Ludlow handicap chase by 37 lengths on his previous outing and Nicholls is now considering a trip to Aintree with the improving six-year-old. “If you'd seen him two races ago you wouldn't have thought he'd end up winning a Grade Two but he's an improving horse,” Nicholls told PA Sport. “He's not in at Cheltenham and he does go a bit right-handed, so Aintree might play against him, but I'm sure we'll find another nice race for him.”