Aintree's the aim for Daly's Mighty Man.

Byline: BY CHRIS WRIGHT Daily Post Staff

HENRY DALY is looking at the Ladbrokes World Hurdle as a stepping stone to Aintree for his returning staying hurdler Mighty Man.

The nine-year-old has not run since suffering a serious injury at the Punchestown Festival in 2007, but is now back on the comeback trail. And the Johns Smith's Liverpool Hurdle, a race Mighty Man won in both 2006 and 2007, is the primary target.

The gelding has been placed twice behind My Way De Solzen and Inglis Drever in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and may again run in the Festival showpiece. But a trip to Aintree, where he is unbeaten in three runs, on the opening day of the John Smith's Grand National on April 2 is firmly on the agenda.

Although, having seen triple World Hurdle winner Inglis Drever retired due to injury this week, Daly knows the pitfalls of getting horses back on track. The trainer said: "After he ruptured his tendon at Punchestown he had stem cell therapy.

"He went back to his owners where he did a lot of remedial work, just walking and trotting, he's been ridden for almost the last year. He's done a lot of cantering at home, he came back just after Christmas.

"The point with him is there are only two races in the year that he can actually run in, one is the World Hurdle and the other is at Aintree.

For obvious reasons I'd like to run him at Aintree so the World Hurdle could be a stepping stone.

"I know it's slightly odd but that's the availability of races for a horse of his class. He's been placed in the World Hurdle twice but if we are going to run him that is where he has to go, it's as simple as that.

"It's a day by day thing with him, we have to start working properly and doing fast bits and everything else.

"If at any stage we start to get a hint of anything or there is heat in his leg - that's it and he'll go back home. It's a tragedy when you have lovely horses that unfortunately go wrong, it's not very nice when they are not very good and it's worse when they are top class and you have to feel for Howard Johnson and Mr (Graham) Wylie, it's horrible."

Meanwhile trainer Donald McCain is looking to the Grade Two totesportbingo.com Towton Novices' Chase over three miles at Wetherby for progressive chaser Will Be Done en route to either a trip to Ireland or the Cheltenham Festival.

The eight-year-old won for a fourth time over fences this season when landing a Grade Two novice chase at Haydock last Saturday, beating Tartak by four lengths.

Having scored at Market Rasen and twice at Wetherby, McCain has high hopes for Will Be Done with the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse over Easter a possible target. After Saturday's win McCain's initial thoughts were that the Cheltenham Festival was a bit too soon in Will Be Done's chasing career. But he was among the 72 entries revealed for the RSA Chase yesterday.

First, though, he will return to Wetherby a week on Saturday.

McCain said: "We will certainly be looking to give Will Be Done an entry in the totesportbingo.com Towton Novices' Chase. He had the hardest race of his career at Haydock Park but he's come out of it fine and seems in good order.

"He's going the right way and I would expect him to improve further with the step up to three miles on softish ground.

"He's rated 144 over fences now so we have to continue in Graded races and he obviously loves it round Wetherby.

"He has been given an entry in the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and that's a possible longterm target for him. I hadn't thought of him as a possible contender for the top novice chases this year, especially if you look at his Irish form, but he's surprised me with his ability.

"If he gets the three miles and runs well at Wetherby, then we will certainly have to consider him for the RSA Chase because he keeps on improving and he keeps on winning."

CAPTION(S):

Mighty Man and jockey Richard Johnson winning the John Smith's Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree in 2007