Richard Dunwoody has been approached to ride the ante-post favourite, Commanche Court, in tomorrow week's Ladbroke Hurdle but is not certain to be able to take the mount. Dunwoody may have to fulfill a commitment to ride Grey Shot in Sandown's Tolworth Hurdle on the same day, and if he is unable to travel, Garrett Cotter will ride the Ted Walsh-trained horse.
"It's possible that I will have to go to Sandown," Dunwoody said yesterday, while Walsh commented: "I have approached him but I'm in no hurry. The main thing is that the horse is fine and Garrett has schooled him before anyway."
The ride on Commanche Court has become available after Norman Williamson picked up a suspenson at Warwick on Wednesday.
The Gold Cup favourite, Dorans Pride, is set to run in tomorrow's Boyne Handicap Chase at Naas after quickly recovering from the setback that caused his absence in the Ericsson Chase.
The opposition to Dorans Pride was weakened yesterday with the announcement that the course specialist, Opera Hat, will miss the race because she is still slightly sore after falling in the Ericsson.
Dorans Pride's trainer Michael Hourigan said: "We'll give the horse a blow out in the morning, and if he's declared, he will run. He will be giving a lot of weight away but I want to get a run into him."
In England, Lo Stregone winner of the Greenalls Grand National Trial at Haydock in 1996, is set to make his seasonal reappearance in this year's race.
But the 12-year-old, found to be suffering from a viral infection after finishing a distant fifth when attempting to follow-up at Haydock last season, will not be aimed at the Grand National. Tom Tate, the gelding's trainer, said yesterday: "Lo Stregone has been hunting this winter and is in great form. He is not qualified for hunter chases, however, and we are planning to start him off this season in the Greenalls next month."
Tate added: "The Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival is also on the agenda for him. But the owners have instructed me not even to enter him for the National (in which he was pulled up last term) so Aintree is definitely out.
"He doesn't stand too much racing and I doubt that he will have more than two or three runs this season."
