NEWS:HARCHIBALD is one of a string of interesting entries in the Castlebellingham Race at Dundalk on Friday evening.
Noel Meade's popular nine-year-old has performed with credit on his two previous visits to the Co Louth all-weather track, finishing first and second.
And due to his dislike of winter ground, Meade intends to campaign his four-time Grade One-winning hurdler at the beginning and the end of the season.
"He might take his chance, he's going to do a bit of work tomorrow and we'll make our minds up after that," said Meade.
"This year he's not going to run over hurdles in the deep ground. He usually starts off in the Tipperary Hurdle (won by Megans Joy on Sunday), but whether he will be fit enough to run on Friday we will see after he works.
"He just can't go through the soft, and Dundalk has worked quite well for him before so we'd be happy for him to run there again."
Also among the 26 entries are a host of Aidan O'Brien-trained runners, including New Zealand, second in the Irish St Leger, and Bashkirov, sixth in the Irish Derby.
Tony Martin's Cesarewitch winner Leg Spinner, former Galway Hurdle winner Cloone River and Dermot Weld's Bobs Pride are also entered in the mile-and-a-half event.
Tomorrow's meeting at Tipperary has been cancelled. Officials were forced to take the decision after checking the track.
Irish Turf Club press officer Cliff Noone said: "They had a look this afternoon and found there was false ground and waterlogging on the back straight. Unfortunately they were left with no other option."
Meanwhile, Arazan is only "50-50" to run in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes after suffering a foot bruise. Trainer John Oxx still hopes the Anabaa colt will line up for the biggest two-year-old race of the season at Newmarket on Saturday week, but admits the horse will have to make a quick recovery.
"He had a nasty enough foot bruise at the weekend and he has missed some work, so he'll need to make a quick recovery," said Oxx.
"He was, however, much better this morning. He'll need to make a quick recovery and work at the end of the week. It's unwelcome and has put his chances of running down to about 50-50. We will wait and see how it goes."
Arazan looked a bright prospect when winning his first two starts, but he lost his unbeaten record when third to Mastercraftsman in the National Stakes at the Curragh last month.
Oxx revealed another of his smart juvenile colts, Sea The Stars, would be put away for the year following his Group Two success over a mile at the Curragh.
"He's had enough for the season and he's an interesting prospect for next year, we hope. We're very happy with him," Oxx said of the half-brother to Galileo. "We don't know how far he'll stay. He should go a mile to a mile-and-a-quarter for sure, and he may get further, but that's not really certain, so he'll probably start at a mile and go from there."
