MASTER McSHEE TAKES A DROP IN TRIP

Paddy Corkery’s Master McShee steps down in trip for a tilt at the Webster Cup Chase at Navan today.

The eight-year- old ( right) was last seen contesting the Grade One Ladbrokes Novice Chase at Leopardstown in February, a race in which he finished second to the exciting Galopin Des Champs.

The Willie Mullins-trained horse is currently head of the market for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and vying for favouritism with Bob Olinger in the Turners’ Novices’ Chase.

Prior to that, Master McShee was victorious in the Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick, another Grade One event in which he beat subsequent Ten Up Novice Chase winner Farouk D’alene.

Good

While the latter is also heading to Cheltenham next week, Corkery’s stable star will line up for the Grade Two

Navan feature and is reported to be in good form.

“He’s just like his trainer, he’s doing very well!” Corkery said. “He’s in Navan for Saturday, the two- mile chase. He’s been to the beach, he was very relaxed, and so was I.

“He ran very well last time, we were delighted with him, he was against some very, very good opposition.

“We’ll be keeping a close eye on Galopin Des Champs (at Cheltenham), and I’ve a feeling he’ll do very well.”

This weekend’s contest is a drop back to two miles, but Master McShee has hurdles form over the distance and Corkery is not concerned about a lack of speed.

Unbeaten

As a novice hurdler, the gelding crossed paths with subsequent Supreme winner Appreciate It, finishing second to Mullins’ unbeaten hurdler in a two-mile maiden on heavy ground at Cork.

“He doesn’t seem to be lacking in speed, any horse that can put it up to Appreciate It has plenty of speed.” Corkery said.