LAURINA MAY BE IN QUE FOR WILL

IT’S just three weeks to the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

And Willie Mullins must decide this morning whether to run his chief Champion contender Laurina in the listed Coral Quevega Mares Hurdle, over an extended two and a half miles, at Punchestown tomorrow.

Mullins has been guarded in his treatment of the six-year-old French-bred mare, above, running her on only soft or heavy ground and bypassing a number of possible engagements this season on that basis.

Laurina, of course, made her belated seasonal debut on soft ground in the listed Unibet Mares Hurdle at Sandown early last month, slaughtering sole rival Sensulano by 48 lengths.

But ground conditions at Punchestown were described as “good” yesterday, prompting a decision to water the track, a remarkable development in mid-february. And some rain (about 6mm) is expected today.

So Mullins, who has won the last three renewals of this race with Annie Power, Limini (beat Apple’s Jade) and Meri Devie respectively, must decide whether to run his star mare or head straight to Cheltenham with her and opt to rely on either Stormy Ireland or Good Thyne Tara, or both, in tomorrow’s Punchestown feature.

Meanwhile, Henry de Bromhead, inset, has indicated that it’s still “50/50” about Monalee’s Cheltenham target in the wake of his all-the-way victory over Gold Cup candidate Anibale Fly in the Red Mills Chase in Gowran Park on Saturday.

De Bromhead, enjoying his best ever season, must discuss plans with the gelding’s owners before giving Monalee the go-ahead to run in either the Bulmers Gold Cup or the Ryanair Chase.

Three Irish contenders are among the 24 acceptors for Saturday’s marathon Vertem Eider Chase at Newcastle. Elliott’s Folsom Blue, fourth in a recent handicap hurdle at Sandown, the Gavin Cromwell-trained 2017 Welsh National victor Raz De Maree and ‘Shark’ Hanlon’s Kilkishen all stood their ground at yesterday’s forfeit stage.