News: Tom Mullins yesterday revealed Asian Maze to be in top trim after her pleasing reappearance at Gowran Park on Saturday. The seven-year-old mare, who was having her first outing since winning the Menolly Homes Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in April, showed eye-catching speed on the run-in to take second place behind Macs Joy in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle.
After coming out of the race unscathed, Asian Maze will now be primed for a crack at the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, for which he is a 7 to 1 chance with the sponsors. "She's come out of it great, looks 110 per cent, and doesn't look like she's had a race," reported the Co Kilkenny handler.
"I was delighted with the run as she made up an awful lot of ground in the last furlong. Myself and Paul (Carberry) think she'll improve an awful lot from that.
"I was expecting a good run and the World Hurdle definitely looks right up her street now - it's certainly the main target at this moment in time."
Macs Joy's four-and-a-half-length success could hardly have been more impressive as he warmed up for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle. A delighted trainer Jessica Harrington said afterwards: "We are going to Cheltenham now with all guns blazing. The ground was pretty sticky and he will appreciate better ground. He jumped and travelled well - Barry said he even tried to run off with him going to the start. Hopefully we will end up firing at the right end of the season this year." VC Bet cut the winner to 4 to 1 from 5s for the blue riband at Cheltenham.
Geraghty had earlier struck on Brutto Facie for Harrington in the Walsh's Toyota Beginners' Chase and on Forget The Past for Michael O'Brien. Forget The Past was slashed at long odds for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup after his victory. He was cut to 25 to 1 from 66 to 1 with VC Bet.
"I'm more or less sure the Gold Cup will be his objective at Cheltenham. He could turn out again in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse next Saturday. We'll see then if he's a Gold Cup horse or not. He's not been over-raced this season so it shouldn't be a problem giving him another run before Cheltenham," said O'Brien.
• Trainer Ginger McCain confirmed that Graham Lee will again ride 2004 Grand National hero Amberleigh House in this year's renewal of the John Smith's-sponsored marathon at Aintree.
