Does Planet of Sound have National class?

Planet of Sound is a horse that has not been short of top class company in his career so far. The Phillip-Hobbs trained 10-year-old has matched himself against the best horses in the UK and Ireland in the last couple of seasons including Kauto Star, Imperial Commander and Albertas Run.

With enough experience under his belt over fences, connections may see this year as the perfect opportunity to try Planet of Sound out over the bigger obstacles at Aintree. Punters may have him marked out as a decent shout in the each-way Grand National betting.

The former Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup winner started the season in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November where he finished second to Carruthers. The gelding had every chance as he jumped the last with the eventual winner, but just couldn’t match the popular Lord-Oaksey-bred victor in the run in to the line.

Last season was a quiet campaign for Planet of Sound, however, although he only ran twice, they were in two of the biggest races on the National Hunt Calendar. First he started things off in the Betfair Chase at Haydock where he finished third and was only behind eventual winner Imperial Commander and Tidal Bay. He then followed that up with a run in the King George which was rearranged for January 15 after being postponed on Boxing Day due to a frozen track. He could only come fifth on that occasion at Kempton where he was behind Long Run, Kauto Star and Nacarat.

Planet Of Sound has only been to Aintree once in his career and that was for a novice chase back in 2009. In his 20 starts on a racecourse, he has only failed to complete the trip once, which was at Ascot two years ago.