Racing News round-upDual Cheltenham Gold Cup third Harbour Pilot has been ruled out for the rest of the season. The Noel Meade-trained 10-year-old is on the easy list as a result of minor damage to a leg.
"We were a bit concerned that something wasn't right and discovered a tiny beat of heat in one of his forelegs," Meade said.
His regular rider Paul Carberry is now free to partner Beef Or Salmon in the blue riband if required by trainer Michael Hourigan.
Carberry made it two wins from as many starts on Ireland's top staying chaser when he beat Best Mate in the Lexus Chase over Christmas.
Trainer Thierry Doumen is mulling over plans for his Cheltenham Festival hope Foreman. The seven-year-old, winner of the Irish Champion Hurdle last season, made a promising start to his chasing career at Newbury last month when he was a nine-length runner-up to the highly-rated Kauto Star.
Doumen was pleased enough with that performance, especially considering that Kauto Star is now the general 4 to 1 favourite for the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy on the basis of that run.
Although Doumen has a couple of options, he has not made a definite decision on a target for Foreman.
"We don't have any plans for him yet. There are a couple of races that we could look at, but we will have to see how they go," he said. "We want to find him a nice race for his second time over fences, but he's just coming out of his last race and he is well."
Foreman is currently a best-priced 16 to 1 shot with Coral for the Arkle, and Doumen added: "We will see what happens, but Cheltenham is something we could consider - probably the Arkle."
Truckers Tavern, who came out of the wilderness to plunder the valuable Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on St Stephen's Day, could be in line for a tilt at the totesport Gold Cup if he continues to please trainer Ferdy Murphy.
Runner-up in chasing's blue riband two years ago, Truckers Tavern will run next in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock on Saturday week, which he won prior to his fine effort behind Best Mate in 2003.
"He'd been dropped 19lb before Wetherby and anyone with his head switched on could see he was ready to win again," Murphy said. "More importantly he's really pleased me since
"After the Peter Marsh he could return there for the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup on February 19th and I'm not against letting him run in the Gold Cup again. It's easy to pick holes in quite a few of them and it's a question of why not?"
Murphy has also entered his exciting novice Your A Gassman in the Cheltenham feature and is ready to let that horse step into handicap company by running him in the Skybet Chase at Doncaster on January 29th.
A fixture will be staged at Navan on Wednesday, January 19th, to replace last Saturday's meeting, which was lost due to waterlogging. There will be a new programme of events, comprising hurdle races and a bumper.
Entries for the meeting will close at noon on Friday, with declarations to run to be made by 10 a.m. next Tuesday.
