RACING: Paul Carberry has been booked for two of the leading Irish raiders at next week's Cheltenham Festival.
Carberry, champion jockey-elect , will be on Knife Edge for Michael O'Brien in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on the Wednesday, and also Paddy Mullins's Tender Cove in the JCB Triumph Hurdle the following day.
Knife Edge, who is as short as 6 to 1 for the Champion Chase with Coral, has been ridden in all his starts over fences by Tom Rudd but O'Brien explained: "Tom does not have the experience at the Festival, having only ridden Knife Edge in the Triumph Hurdle.
"The Queen Mother is a specialist race and you want a man with experience.
"Carberry is riding at the top of his form - he's the top man in Ireland this season and it's a one-off booking for this particular race."
Knife Edge completed a four-timer at Naas at the end of last month, accounting for Over The Furze by half a length on very heavy ground.
Tender Cove is generally a 16 to 1 shot for the Triumph and came home nicely in front in a schooling hurdle at Punchestown yesterday.
Dermot Weld's Direct Bearing, a winner on his only outing over jumps at Leopardstown under Tony McCoy, finished upsides in his schooling hurdle and was confirmed a definite runner in one of the novice hurdles at Cheltenham.
On his Smurfit Champion Hurdle possible Ansar, Weld added: "Ansar is still a possible for the Champion. The owners are keen to run if it is good ground."
