‘Road’ ready to rock for second Gold Cup bid

ROAD TO RESPECT is on course for another tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup with trainer Noel Meade hoping that his stable star will deliver a more polished round of jumping in next month’s blue riband.

A general 12/1 shot having finished fourth in last year’s renewal behind Native River, Road To Respect threw in some sketchy leaps when just edged out by Bellshill in a thrilling Irish Gold Cup earlier this month.

Meade reports the eight-year-old to be none the worse for those exertions and it’s all systems go for the Cotswolds with the Meath trainer believing that an ease in the ground would play to his strengths.

“All is good. He came out of the race in good form and we’re happy with him. That (Cheltenham Gold Cup) is the plan. He didn’t jump as well as he can the last day and we’re just putting it down to the fast ground,” Meade said of Road To Respect.

“He didn’t seem to want to let him- self down on it, but he still ran a good race and there’s obviously very little between him and the winner. We’ll just try to get him to Cheltenham in one piece and hope for a better round of jumping and see where it takes us.”

Meanwhile, Kilkenny-based trainer Andrew Hughes had a wasted journey to Musselburgh yesterday when his sole runner at the Scottish track, The Tartan Spartan, was sent home after failing to comply with the new BHA regulations in place since the recent equine flu outbreak.

Hughes travelled 380 miles to Scotland – including a ferry journey – with the six-year-old but he did not meet the increased biosecurity requirements which requires Irish runners in the UK to have a certificate of a negative swab for equine flu.

Elsewhere, the Grade Three Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle (2.40) – won by future Grade One winners like Don Poli and Monalee – is the feature prize on a seven-race jumps card at Clonmel today.

Henry de Bromhead is triple-handed with Albert Bartlett entry Capuccimix – representing last year’s winning connections – as well as Minella Indo and Cool Saint holding claims but this may go the way of Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud with

Swordsman in an open betting heat. Stepping up to 3m shouldn’t be a problem based on the way he finished his Fairyhouse maiden hurdle victory over 2m4f, and he may prove best in the hands of Jack Kennedy.