Samcro lined up for Naas outing
SAMCRO could be seen next in the Lawlor’s Hotel Novice Hurdle at Naas in January after being a notable absentee from tomorrow’s Navan Novice Hurdle.
Gordon Elliott’s unbeaten fiveyear-old has created a huge impression in his two starts over hurdles this season, most recently in the Monksfield Novice Hurdle.
His next race is likely to be at the highest level, at either Naas or possibly Leopardstown.
‘He will go to Naas in the first week in January for the Lawlor’s Grade One hurdle,’ said Elliott.
‘We entered him [this weekend] to keep our options open, but the plan was to go to Naas.
‘To be honest, he has done everything well, but he has to keep improving. He has lot of improvement to do, which we hope he does. He is a good horse. I’m very lucky, I’ve got a lot of good horses.’
Speaking earlier in the day, Eddie O’Leary, racing manager for owners Gigginstown House Stud, raised the chance Samcro could run at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting in preference to Naas.
He said: ‘He might run at Christmas (Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle).’
Elliott and Gigginstown still run three in the Grade Two contest this weekend — Cracking Smart, Poli Roi and Delta Work.
Willie Mullins calls on the smart Next Destination, Jessica Harrington fields Jetz and Noel Meade is represented by Half The Odds.
Elsewhere, Colin Tizzard expects Cue Card to have just three more runs before heading into retirement, with the 32Red King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day looking increasingly unlikely.
He was in the frame for the Christmas showpiece earlier in the week and was briefly considered for the rearranged Peterborough Chase.
However, following talks with owner Jean Bishop, Tizzard is now leaning towards the Ascot Grade One he won in February last year.
‘We probably won’t run Cue Card in the King George. Talking to Jean Bishop, we will just mind him. The King George is red hot,’ added Tizzard.
‘We considered going to Taunton, but we decided not to. He had a hard old race at Haydock (second to Bristol De Mai in the Betfair Chase).
‘We just want to have three runs in the spring, then retire him. I think that’s what we will do.’
‘We will go to the Ascot Chase, then either the Ryanair or Gold Cup and then on to Aintree,’ he said.
‘Then I will have him as my hunter.’