CLOUDY LANE may bid for compensation after failing to get round in the John Smith’s Grand National with a trip to Ireland at the end of the month.

Cheshire trainer Donald McCain may send his nine-year-old to the Punchestown Festival for the Guinness Gold Cup after the top-weight unseated Jason Maguire at The Chair in Saturday’s Aintree showpiece.

McCain said: “Cloudy seemed happier than last year, was travelling better and was tipping away nicely until he came to The Chair where Jason said he just got racing and stepped on the fence.

“It’s a shame but that is what the race is all about and at least he’s in one piece.

“He’s in the Scottish National but he has a few cuts and bruises and it might just come a little bit too soon for him.

“We said before we might have a look at the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown for him and we will talk to Trevor Hemmings’ (owner) team and see what they want to do.

“He obviously fell at Kelso and then tipped up at Aintree, albeit he carried on all the way round, but he hasn’t had a proper race for a while, so we will see.”

McCain’s other runner Idle Talk finished 12th – completing the 4m4f Aintree marathon for a second season.

The Liverpool-born trainer was happy enough with his gelding, but is likely to wait to decide on future plans for the10-year-old.

He added: “We were thrilled with Idle Talk and Brian Harding gave him a really fantastic ride.

“He’s got round again but he just doesn’t seem to finish the race for some reason. I don’t think he’ll run again this season.”