Black Hercules may take two-mile option ahead of Cheltenham

Black Hercules, a 5-1 ante-post favourite for the three-mile Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham in March, could revert back to the minimum distance for a festival warm-up at Punchestown on Sunday.

The Willie Mullins-trained star is one of 16 entries for this weekend’s Listed Irish Stallion Owners Novice Hurdle, a race Mullins won last year with Wicklow Brave.

Black Hercules won at two miles on his hurdling debut at Cork but stepped up on that form appreciably when defeating Alpha Des Obeaux, subsequently runner-up to Douvan in the Moscow Flyer, over three miles in a Cork Grade 3 last month.

Mullins has five other options for the race including the Tramore scorer, Avant Tout, and Aminabad who has not been seen since winning a maiden hurdle at Wexford in November.

Black Hercules also holds an entry in the following Sunday’s Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Sunday’s Grade 2 highlight is the Boylesports Tied Cottage Chase in which Hidden Cyclone is likely to put his Queen Mother Champion Chase credentials to the test.

Willie Mullins has left three in this race at the five-day stage, including Ballycasey who was a long way behind Hidden Cyclone in the Dial-A-Bet won by Twinlight over Christmas. Twinlight is also a possible starter on Sunday.

“We’ve been unlucky with him in the sense he hasn’t won a Grade 1 yet,” said Hidden Cyclone’s trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon. “All going to plan the next stop [after Sunday] would be the Queen Mother.”

Henry De Bromhead – twice a Tied Cottage winner with Sizing Europe – has left Days Hotel among the 11 entries in the two mile feature.