HOPES ARE high for Ireland’s novice team at the upcoming Cheltenham festival but the odds suggest the raiders will be a long way off the pace in the major championship races.
Kazal was the only Irish-trained horse to even make the places in those same contests in 2008, finishing third in the World Hurdle, one of the four big festival pots that also include the Champion Hurdle, the Champion Chase and the Gold Cup.
This year the odds suggest an even bleaker outlook, with bookmakers going as high as 3 to 1 about an Irish-trained horse winning any of the major championship races.
“In other years it would have been 1 to 10 about that but it is not the case anymore,” a Cashmans spokesman said yesterday.
“Apart from Big Zeb we don’t look to have a lot in the Champion Chase and if they’re talking about watering the track already it wouldn’t look encouraging for Notre Pere in the Gold Cup. We don’t look to have much in the World Hurdle apart from Powerstation who is 33 to 1. So our best chances look to be in the Champion Hurdle and Binocular is a hot favourite for that,” he added.
A Paddy Power spokesman agreed that the day one feature is Ireland’s best chance of a championship victory and as well as former winners Sublimity and Brave Inca, last year’s beaten favourite Sizing Europe remains on track for another crack at the Champion Hurdle.
Henry De Bromhead’s star started a 2 to 1 favourite in 2008 but is now a general 20 to 1 shot after an interrupted campaign which saw injury problems rule him out of the Irish Champion Hurdle a month ago.
Sizing Europe looked a likely winner racing to the second last flight at Cheltenham a year ago only to put in an awkward jump which saw him all but pulled up. A back problem was later diagnosed.
“He’s looking very good again and moving very well,” De Bromhead reported.
“Cheltenham is the plan and a good pace there will be a big help to him.”
Another Irish contender in the Champion Hurdle will be the 2005 runner-up Harchibald who is set for a warm-up on the all-weather at Dundalk on Friday night which kicks off the Irish flat season this year.
Noel Meade is also considering running Jered and Muirhead in the Champion and could also run the Grade One winner Casey Jones in the RSA Chase as well as Parsons Pistol in the four mile chase.
Harchibald won the mile and a half handicap at Dundalk last year and Meade said yesterday: “I think he will run and then we will see about the ground at Cheltenham. He is fairly straight now and I think another run would have him very sharp for Cheltenham.”
Jered hasn’t been seen since running behind Hardy Eustace and Sizing Europe at Punchestown but could appear in the traditional post-racing gallops sessions which take place at Leopardstown this Sunday.
“Jered will work after racing and we will probably work a few others as well,” Meade added.
Paul Nolan also outlined his festival plans yesterday, with Shinrock Paddy being aimed at the Weatherbys Champion Bumper. He added: “We will have Dix Villez for the Cross Country Chase, Alpha Ridge for the Albert Bartlett, Shinrock Paddy for the bumper and we’ll have a couple of horses entered in handicaps as well. Hopefully we will have a full lorry going over!”
No final decision has been made by the Nolan team as regards a festival appearance by Sunday’s impressive Nas Na Riogh winner Joncol and the trainer said: “We will possibly consider Fairyhouse and Punchestown as long as there is cut in the ground. I will discuss it with the owners but he may have just one more run and then take a break.”
Thursday’s Grade Two feature at Thurles, the Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle, will be a Cheltenham alternative for some smart horses, with Willie Mullins having four entries in his attempt to follow up Cooldine’s victory last year.
Quiscover Fontaine leads the Mullins team, while Noel Meade’s three entries include Donnas Palm, owned by the Grand Alliance Racing Club, who was just a neck off Hurricane Fly in November’s Royal Bond at Fairyhouse.
