O'Brien confirms Hullnback is ready for Haydock

Fergal O'Brien has the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle at Haydock in mind for Hullnback after the five-year-old opened his hurdling account at the Merseyside track last month.

A high-class bumper horse last season, he scored in good fashion on his debut at Chepstow.

He wasn't disgraced in Listed company at Newbury on his next start, before getting closest to Lookaway when second in the Grade Two bumper that concludes Aintree's Grand National Festival.

Although only second on hurdling debut at Chepstow, that form has a strong look to it, and he built on that early timber education in his most recent outing, reversing Aintree form with Lookaway in the process of recording a three-and-three-quarter-length success.

Despite envisaging Hullnback being a stayer of the future, the Ravenswell Farm handler is keen to keep the son of Schiaparelli to two miles for the time being as he appears set to return to Haydock for Grade Two action on 21 January.

"I'm delighted with him," said O'Brien. "I think his second at Chepstow was actually a really strong run race, the horse of Nigel's (Twiston-Davies) that finished third would have won at Ascot when falling at the last.

"He's a lovely horse and he did it well at Haydock. He's not a two-miler and that is why we are so delighted with him. Paddy (Brennan) had to be fairly aggressive on him, but he did it very well.

"Hopefully he will go back to Haydock for the Grade Two in the middle of January. He's not a two-miler, but he's a bit too free to step up in trip. Another run over two miles will keep him sharp and he's a lovely, big horse and you'd rather he was a little outpaced over two miles than doing too much over two- and-a-half at the minute, until he learns to race.

"Hop