LAUNCH PAD Star novice set for return to action at Navan or Naas
FOOTPAD, the most exciting novice chaser of last season, could make his return to action this weekend.
The Willie Mullins-trained gelding, unbeaten in five starts over fences, holds engagements in both the Grade 2 Tote.com Fortria Chase at Navan on Sunday and the Grade 3 Poplar Square Chase at Naas on Saturday.
Mullins will finalise his plans later in the week as an exciting weekend of National Hunt action looms.
But the Navan feature, a year to the day after his impressive chase debut on the same card, looks the more likely target for Footpad, although stablemate Great
Field is also entered.
Also down to run for both the Fortria and Poplar Square is
Saint Calvados, trained in England by Harry Whittington, which missed yesterday’s Haldon Gold Cup in Exeter due to fast ground and a likely raider this weekend, if the rain continues to ease ground conditions.
But one horse which will definitely miss the Fortria is 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup victor Sizing John, which underwent what Jessica Harrington described as “a small wind operation” on Monday, having failed to satisfy his handler in a routine gallop on Sunday.
Harrington explained: “He’ll be on the easy list for two or three weeks and, all being well, he’ll be ready in time for Christmas.”
Entries for the weekend also include Gordon Elliott’s high-class mare Apple’s Jade, which holds an entry in the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle at Navan on Sunday.
training honours at Fairyhouse yesterday went to Elliott.
Monbeg Worldwide justified 6/5 favouritism in the Meath Racing Maiden Hurdle while top-weight Jaunty Thor (Lisa O’neill) won the Fairyhouse Racecourse Ladies Handicap Chase.
And the Declan Queallytrained mare Tell Me Annie, under Andrew Lynch, turned over 1/3 favourite Go Another One in the www. fairyhouse.ie Hurdle.
TODAY’S action is in Dundalk, where Tony Martin (left) might continue his rich vein of form for owner John Breslin with Maid In Manhattan in the irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap.
The owner/trainer partnership bagged two big ‘pots’ at the weekend, with Golden Spear and Mr. Everest.
And, Maid Of Manhattan, which has caught the eye more than once and finished seventh to Perfect Tapatino at Naas last time, is a sporting nap choice.
The second division of this event might go to Joseph O’brien’s Shadow Seven, which has disappointed on soft ground in his last two starts, but is expected to relish the polytrack.