NAVAN PREVIEW:CHELTENHAM MAY be the overwhelming focus for most right now but even if Pittoni can stretch his unbeaten record over hurdles in today's Grade Two feature at Navan, his trainer Charles Byrnes could still end up looking beyond the festival.

Pittoni is as low as 12 to 1 for the Triumph Hurdle in under three weeks time after winning all three of his jumps start to date, including a Grade One victory last time.

But Byrnes insists there will have to be cut in the ground at Cheltenham for him to even consider going for the Triumph and significantly the French version of the race, the Prix Alain Du Breil, during the summer is already in his thoughts.

“No decision on anything will be made until after he runs at Navan,” Byrnes has confirmed but on its own merits, today’s Johnstown Hurdle, looks a good opportunity for Pittoni.

The sole four-year-old in the six-runner field gets his favoured testing ground conditions and a 12lb weight concession from the talented Coole River, who upset Quel Esprit at Leopardstown last month. The pair look to dominate the race and whether it is Cheltenham or Auteuil on Pittoni’s horizon, his immediate prospects look good.

Normally a €10,500 handicap hurdle is rather short on star appeal but today’s two-and-a-half-mile version contains Cayo Levantado, the horse that brought off a monster gamble at Punchestown earlier in the month for Gordon Elliott and owner Barry Callaghan.

Cayo Levantado ultimately brought off the gamble from 20 to 1 to favourite by three lengths from Shorecliffe King but looked to need almost every yard of the two-and-three-quarter trip that day and this shorter trip may not suit.

Hangover found only Whinstone Boy too good in the Thyestes but Conor O’Dwyer looks to have found him a good opportunity in the novice chase, while the former Cheltenham winner Nicanor can finally win over fences in the Beginners Chase. Barneys Honour was a winner at Fairyhouse during the week when overhauling Clear Gold on the run-in and despite a 6lb penalty Philip Rothwell’s horse can execute a quick follow-up.

Threat of strike by Turf Club officials at Leopardstown and Clonmel lifted as more LRC talks are planned

THE THREAT of strike action by the Turf Club Officials Association at Leopardstown and Clonmel tomorrow has been lifted with the Turf Club agreeing to ultimately go to the Labour Court if agreement over a dispute about cuts to pay and conditions can't be found, writes Brian O'Connor.

The Turf Club's previous apparent reluctance to go to the Labour Court appears to have lifted after 12 hours of negotiations at the Labour Relations Commission on Thursday left them willing to enter the tribunal in the event of further LRC talks next Tuesday failing to result in agreement.

Fears that pickets would be placed at both of tomorrow's fixtures have abated, a development that pleased the Turf Club's chief executive Denis Egan who said: "We are pleased the industrial action has been called off. It is a very welcome move. It is in no one's interests for racing to be under threat, particularly in the current economic environment."

The TCOA had voted overwhelmingly to go on strike this weekend but the association's long-held desire for the dispute to ultimately go to the Labour Court could happen if a fourth visit to the LRC results in no agreement.

The regulatory body has always maintained up to half a million euro in savings have to be found on the back of Horse Racing Ireland's €1.5 million funding cut to it in the last two years.

Both sides are due to return to the LRC on Tuesday morning.