An important piece of work tomorrow could decide if Bog Warrior – the horse once with the steeplechase world at his feet – makes his first start over fences in almost 15 months at Punchestown on Sunday.
Bog Warrior is one of eight possible starters for the Grade Two Boylesports Free Wi/Fi Tied Cottage Chase after yesterday's forfeit stage, an important step on the comeback trail for the former Grade One winner once described by trainer Tony Martin as "best horse I've had my hands on".
The Gigginstown Stud star has endured an injury-interrupted career since memorably landing the Drinmore Chase on just his second run over the bigger obstacles and hasn’t raced over fences since falling at Down Royal towards the end of 2012.
Since then Bog Warrior has campaigned over hurdles and looked to be travelling like a winner in last season’s World Hurdle at Cheltenham only to sustain a leg-fracture in the closing stages.
Despite that Martin has nursed him back to fitness and Bog Warrior's reputation is such that he's still as short as 33/1 in some lists for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in just six weeks time. He is also a 10/1 shot for Sunday week's Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown, one of a series of comeback options Martin has for the horse.
'Plenty options'
"There's nearly a race a week for the next four weeks so we have plenty options. He's at the stage where we're ready to make an entry. I'll wait until Thursday when he'll do a bit and we'll see what happens," the Co Meath trainer said yesterday.
Bog Warrior's possible opposition, if he takes up the two-mile Punchestown route, could include Aravika Ligeonniere, winner of the John Durkan over the Co Kildare course last month, as well as a possible cross-channel raider.
Donald McCain has left in Desert Cry, winner of both his starts this season, including a handicap at Wetherby 18 days ago.
“He has won his last two and is far more effective on slow ground. Handicaps are not really an option for him so we have to look at conditions races and this race really appeals,” McCain said yesterday. “We will monitor how things pan out during the week.”
Mouse Morris can choose from two entries, Rathlin and Baily Green, while Henry De Bromhead, winner of the Tied Cottage for the last two years with Sizing Europe, has left in the Aintree Grade One scorer Special Tiara.
Another Tony Martin star on the comeback trail is Golantilla, a €375,000 purchase by owner Barry Connell who finished third on his first start for Martin behind Briar Hill in last season's Cheltenham Bumper but hasn't been seen since.
'Given him time'
"He will probably run in about a fortnight. He's a horse that was a bit weak and backward so we've given him time," he said of a horse who is still 20/1 in some lists for both the Supreme and the Neptune Hurdles at Cheltenham.
One Martin star unlikely to be travelling anytime soon, however, is Quick Jack, prominent in some betting for Saturday week’s Betfair Hurdle at Newbury, but who is likely to stay at home for local targets later in the campaign.
“The Englishman (handicapper) has him very high. He was 131 after he won at Cheltenham, and the two horses he beat look nice, so he put our horse up another 5lb.
“ That’s 11lb higher than he is here,” explained the trainer who produced Quick Jack to run third in last weekend’s Boylesports Hurdle.
“I’d imagine we’d keep him for handicaps here.”
Sunday’s other black-type event at Punchestown will be a Listed novice hurdle which has five Willie Mullins-trained hopefuls among the list of entries.
They include the highly rated novices, Vautour, Valseur Lido, Wicklow Brave and Moyle Park, a beaten favourite behind The Tullow Tank at Christmas.
Another star performer likely to start on Sunday is the Cheltenham festival hero Big Shu who is due to reappear over the banks course.
Trainer Peter Maher said: “He loves Punchestown and is in good shape so we look forward to seeing how he run on Sunday. He delivered for us at the festivals last spring and had a tough race in the La Touche who we gave him plenty of time off.”
Ground conditions at Punchestown yesterday were officially “soft to heavy.”
