Bawaader has been prominent in ante-post betting for the William Hill Lincoln at Newcastle for much of the winter, but his trainer, Dermot Weld, indicated yesterday that the horse is more likely to try to repeat last year's success in Sunday's Ladbrokes Irish Lincolnshire on the first day of the new Flat season at the Curragh.
The Weld runner put up an astonishing performance in 2006 as he routed the Lincolnshire field to the tune of eight lengths, and another attempt at the €100,000 mile feature is firmly in Bawaader's sights.
"The Irish Lincolnshire is probably where we're going to go," said Weld, who nevertheless didn't completely rule out the chances of Bawaader travelling to Newcastle the following weekend.
Weld also gave an upbeat report on the readiness of his powerful string generally for the upcoming Flat campaign, and said his Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Nightime is a possible to reappear in the Alleged Stakes at the Curragh in April.
"She is possibly not quite as forward as some of mine, but overall they are reasonably well forward despite the bad weather we've had," he said.
The JP McManus team reported yesterday that Far From Trouble remains an intended runner in the John Smith's Aintree Grand National, despite a setback having ruled him out of an appearance in last week's William Hill Trophy Chase at the Cheltenham festival.
"We are still hoping to run Far From Trouble, but we will have to see what happens," said Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus who has yet to land the National. "He did have a setback which forced him to miss the festival where we were hoping he might get more experience."
Charlie Swan's Ground Ball, who returned to form with a good third in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham last week, is also a contender.
"Ground Ball ran well at the festival and will run either in the Topham or the National," he said.
There was also a focus yesterday on the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday with a record 88 entry announced.
The weights for the big race won't be announced until Monday, but the chances of last Friday's Cheltenham Gold Cup fifth Cane Brake taking his chance haven't been ruled out and he could be a potential topweight.
"He is entered in the Betfred and he will also be entered for the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown," said Cane Brake's trainer, Tom Taaffe. "But we will also have a close look at the Irish National closer to the time."
Tom Taaffe will have a decision to make on Cane Brake's next race, but he is certainly wasting no time with his progressive chaser In The High Grass, who makes a quick reappearance at Clonmel this afternoon just three days after winning at Gowran.
In The High Grass takes in the conditions chase which, at two and a half miles, might just be stretching his stamina, and he also faces a task on strict figures with one of the bottom weights. Light On The Broom.
However, the Taaffe horse is clearly in form and there looked to be plenty left in the way he quickened from the last on Monday to win by five and a half lengths.
Ruby Walsh could be in double form as he attempts to get off the 112-winner mark for the season here in Ireland, as Another Notice has a shout in the handicap hurdle and Templers Hall has a very definite shout in the handicap chase.
Aidan O'Brien is prepared to adopt an "in-house" policy as regards who will ride his horses for the opening stages of the Flat season. The champion trainer said yesterday that Séamus Heffernan will continue to team up with many of the Ballydoyle stable's classic prospects as Kieren Fallon serves his six-month drugs ban which is not due to end until after the Epsom Derby meeting in June.
With Fallon also banned from riding in Britain due to his alleged involvement in a race-fixing scandal, there has been speculation as to who will be on board O'Brien's top classic hopes. O'Brien said: "I know the media have been on about this, but we will work away with our own lads for the time being and see what happens."
