Irish Racing: Arthur Moore pitches his star veteran Native Upmanship into tomorrow's Hennessy, but this afternoon's Naas fixture looks like being a more lucrative winning opportunity for the local trainer, with Tiger Cry having a big shout in the featured novice chase.
Moore also gives a first start over fences in this race to King Johns Castle, but better ground will be to the advantage of Tiger Cry, who is already a Fairyhouse winner and ran a big race to be second to Bold Bishop at Cheltenham in November.
Conscript belied his 50 to 1 odds with a second to the Supreme favourite Sweet Wake on his jumping debut here last month, and fans of Noel Meade horse's Cheltenham chances will be looking for encouragement in the opener today.
Kit Carson put in a much better effort when third to No Sound at Gowran, and the form has been boosted enough since to make Charlie Swan's horse fancied in the handicap hurdle.
Leading Run is too old to run in the Cheltenham bumper, but can show what the festival will miss with a victory in the last.
In other news, the Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) board approved a 55 per cent grant to Wexford racecourse to aid a €145,000 extension project. It is part of an overall plan set to cost €2.1 million which will see the track extend by three furlongs in time for the 2007 racing year.
There were also three new members approved for the HRI board by Minister John O'Donoghue.
Francis Hyland will replace Séamus Mulvaney as the bookmakers representative. Nicholas Wachman, of the Turf Club, takes over from Frank Clarke, while Noel Cloake replaces Eddie Browne. Dermot Cantillon has been re-nominated as the breeders' representative.
