A decision to run bold frontrunning fencer Al Garhood in Thursday's Grand Annual Steeplechase is on hold despite him joining an elite band of jumpers by winning his second Brierly Steeplechase at Warrnambool.After winning last year's Brierly, Al Garhood was scratched from the Grand Annual two days later and trainer Ciaron Maher is again noncommittal about taking on the longest jumps race in Australia with the nine-year-old."We will just have to see how he pulls up," Maher said.Al Garhood gave a

A decision to run bold frontrunning fencer Al Garhood in Thursday's Grand Annual Steeplechase is on hold despite him joining an elite band of jumpers by winning his second Brierly Steeplechase at Warrnambool.

After winning last year's Brierly, Al Garhood was scratched from the Grand Annual two days later and trainer Ciaron Maher is again noncommittal about taking on the longest jumps race in Australia with the nine-year-old.

"We will just have to see how he pulls up," Maher said.

Al Garhood gave a tempting performance on Tuesday, leading throughout to win the Brierly by 3-1/4 lengths from the Kelvin Bourke-trained Thisonesonme with Believe In Victory a short half-head away third.

In the past Maher has had concerns that Al Garhood may struggle with the Grand Annual's 5500-metres given his strong running style and tendency to overrace.

Jockey Brian Constable admitted he again had to steady the gelding who was keen to go faster on his home track.

"He attacks them (the fences)," Constable said.

"He really loves jumping and sometimes I am saying `mate, back off'."

Maher said the Brierly had always been Al Garhood's mission this campaign and that he had come up better than a year ago.

"He was peaking today. This was his race," Maher said.

Constable said he loved riding Al Garhood.

"We make a good team. We complement each other," Constable said.

"He jumped clean, ran hard and left the rest behind.

"I'm not sure if he is going around on Thursday but he loves the track here and he loves these fences."

Should Al Garhood start in the Grand Annual he will have another jockey as Constable has already taken the mount on the Eric Musgrove-trained Conzeal.

Brad McLean is booked for Maher's other Grand Annual hope, Great Eastern Steeplechase winner Pentacolo.

Al Garhood was a $300,000 yearling at the 2001 Australian Easter Sales and posted just one country win in his first 11 starts in NSW before Maher paid $12,000 for him.

He has since won 10 races and more than $200,000 in stakes with his second Brierly success.

The Kelvin Bourke-trained Bourbon Boy, who was ridden by Constable, was the last dual winner of the Brierly in 1990 and 1991.

Bourke is keen to run Thisonesonme in the Grand Annual but Believe In Victory was not a final acceptor.