RACING/News: Edward O' Grady will this morning allow his major Cheltenham hopes Pizarro and Back In Front take their first tentative steps back on the road to the festival.
Both horses, first and third respectively in last season's Cheltneham bumper, haven't been seen in over a month due to a bout of sickness at the O'Grady yard.
Pizarro was an odds on flop at Navan in mid-December after which muccus was found in his throat. However, he remains as short as 12 to 1 with Powers for the SunAlliance Hurdle.
Back In Front is a 10 to 1 second favourite for the Supreme Novices but hasn't run since finishing second to Hardy Eustace in the Royal Bond.
"They will do their first piece of work in a long time in the morning and we will have to get through that before deciding what to do next with them," O'Grady said yesterday.
"The horses have never had any temperatures and were never really that sick. The just weren't scoping right. I would hope that having taken our time with them we will get a positive response now.
"It didn't help that the horses didn't respond to the first antibiotics we used so we had to find one that would work. But they seem fine and in good shape now," he added.
Fairyhouse tomorrow might not have the presence of Florida Pearl but his absence does allow Colonel Braxton to take his chance in the Normans Grove Chase.
The two-mile contest might not seem an obvious option for a horse who is currently a 25 to 1 shot for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Colonel Braxton does look up against it against proven two milers like Knife Edge and Go Roger Go.
The latter ran a blinder on his comeback behind Moscow Flyer over Christmas but even though he is 4lb wrong with the Colonel on ratings, Knife Edge still looks the safest option.
Conor O'Dwyer teams up with Knife Edge for the first time and he also will don the JP McManus colours for another classy Michael O'Brien-trained horse in the Beginners Chase.
Goss wasn't that far off the top of the novice hurdle tree last season but wound up falling in a Grade One at the Punchestown festival behind Scottish Memories.
Pace is the big weapon of this horse and O'Dwyer is the ideal jockey in the circumtances to get him to use that asset on his first start over fences.
It could be a big day all round for O'Brien who gives Loss Of Faith a start in the bumper.
Runner-up to Govamix at Leopardstown, Loss Of Faith holds the Mullins runner Kronos Des Obeaux on that form and it looks his day to step up to the winning plate.
O'Dwyer also looks to have a winning shout in the opener where he rides Kaoutchou for Arthur Moore. This one put in an encouraging effort at Thurles last month behind Poulakerry.
Florida Coast worked with his famous stable companion Limestone Lad on Thursday and more than held his own around two circuts of Gowran. He hasn't run since November but that may not stop the Bowe runner in the novice hurdle.
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The Turf Club have appointed Cliff Noone as their new press officer. Noone retired last year as senior reporter from the Irish Field after 30 years working for the trade newspaper.
The Turf Club also announced yesterday they will extend their information line service, which covers news of inspections, to point to points.
