Star jumper Al Garhood will target an invitation to compete against the best steeplechasers in the world in the Nakayama Grand Jump next April.Warrnambool trainer Ciaron Maher said he had explored the possibility of a Japanese invitation not only for Al Garhood, but also for stablemate Art Success.Maher said both horses has been in work six weeks.He is particularly keen to get 11-year-old Al Garhood to Japan as he fears he will be weighted out of the top races next year after winning the 2010 Gr

Star jumper Al Garhood will target an invitation to compete against the best steeplechasers in the world in the Nakayama Grand Jump next April.

Warrnambool trainer Ciaron Maher said he had explored the possibility of a Japanese invitation not only for Al Garhood, but also for stablemate Art Success.

Maher said both horses has been in work six weeks.

He is particularly keen to get 11-year-old Al Garhood to Japan as he fears he will be weighted out of the top races next year after winning the 2010 Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool.

He also finished second to Sir Pentire in the 2009 Grand Annual, won the 2010 Von Doussa Steeplechase at Oakbank and has twice won the Brierly Steeplechase on his home track.

"He hasn't done all he can here but he has probably done what they will allow him to do considering the weight he likely to get now," Maher said.

"He carried a fair lump last year and he won't be getting any less this year."

Al Garhood shouldered 67kg in the Von Doussa and 66kg in the Grand Annual.

"I'm sure he will get a lot more weight in both those races if we stay home with him next year," Maher said.

Maher is planning to get Al Garhood fit for Japan with three flat runs in Victoria before the Pegasus Jump on April 9 as a lead up to the $1.75 million Grand Jump nine days later.

He said Al Garhood's adaptability to a variety of jumps at Warrnambool and Oakbank would hold him in good stead at Nakayama.

"He is very consistent and the track over the there is a turning track with a lot of different obstacles and he loves that," Maher said.

"He is a horse who uses his jumping ability to keep himself in the race and makes his own luck a bit because he is a bit of a dasher.

"He seems to relish any kind of jump so I am sure he would take to them with no worries over there."

Al Garhood has raced 66 times for 13 wins and has earned more than $420,000 prizemoney.

Art Success is an emerging jumper who has raced three times over obstacles and won the Yalumba Hurdle at Oakbank last year.