Racing: Martin Brassil has all but ruled leading Irish fancy Nickname out of the Tingle Creek at Sandown on December 8th.
The Kildare trainer is instead aiming his stable star at the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase - a race he won last year - at the Leopardstown Christmas festival.
Nickname has won 17 of his 28 races in France and Ireland but must have soft ground to be seen at his best.
"He probably won't go for the Tingle Creek Chase as it is a bit close to Christmas and we are more or less gearing up for the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase over two miles," said Brassil.
"He's fine and I'm happy with him, but he didn't get an early start this season because of the ground conditions in Ireland.
"I was thinking of running him in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase, but he got beat in that last year and I think that we will bypass that and stick to two miles.
"My rain-dance is working and we're getting it at the moment."