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The Lucinda Rusell-trained Giovinco could be set for a drop in distance after pulling-up in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

After an unbeaten season over hurdles last year, the son of Walk In The Park was well-fancied to make a winning start over fences at Carlisle but jockey Stephen Mulqueen failed to keep the partnership intact after he made a bad mistake three from home.

However, Lucinda Russell's charge was quickly winning over fences at Aintree on his next start and an excellent second behind the hugely exciting Stay Away Fay in the Grade Two Esher Novices' Chase at Sandown would entice connections to opt for Grade 1 glory at Kempton just eighteen days later. It wasn't to be though for the seven-year-old as he struggled from the early stages and was eventually pulled-up behind the electric winner Il Est Francais.

With less than two weeks between his last two assignments, trainer Lucinda Russell suspects it may have been a time-span too short in hindsight and has earmarked the Scilly Isles at Sandown and the Festival Trials Day card at Cheltenham as potential targets. Both options would see Giovinco stepping back down to two and a half miles, a distance he won over last season.

She said: "He might go to Sandown, we've got a couple of options with him,"

"We might even go to Cheltenham and go over two miles four (furlongs) there.

"He was quite tired after Kempton and we felt, in hindsight, we'd gone to the well just a bit too quickly with him.

"He seems well now; he had a quiet time over the New Year and he's back to being his usual self again."