EDWARD O’GRADY is preparing to put the finishing touches to some of his principal Cheltenham hopes this weekend but could end up returning to Prestbury Park next month without the smart novice chaser, Catch Me.
The former Grade One-winning hurdler is rated just “50-50” to make the RSA Chase for which he is quoted as low as 25 to 1 in ante-post betting. “As we speak, he is a little lame and a lot will depend on how quickly he recovers from that. I would say he is 50-50 at the moment,” O’Grady admitted yesterday.
Catch Me has run just three times over fences, winning first time out this season at Cork, and finishing just three and a half lengths off Pandorama and Weapons Amnesty in a Leopardstown Grade One over Christmas.
O’Grady is Ireland’s most successful current trainer at the Cheltenham Festival with a tally of 18 winners that began 36 years ago with Mr Midland in the National Hunt Chase.
A major hope of adding to that will be the Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Tranquil Sea who will be seen next at Naas the weekend after next and is rated more likely to take part in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham rather than the Champion Chase.
Before that though the 2008 Champion Hurdle runner-up Osana will put his Arkle Trophy credentials on the line in the Grade Two Flyingbolt Chase at Navan on Sunday while Jumbo Rio is set to tackle Saturday’s Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park.
Another leading festival hope in O’Grady’s Co Tipperary yard is the four-year-old Alaivan who remains as low as 9 to 1 for the Triuph Hurdle despite having been humbled by Carlito Brigante at Leopardstown over Christmas.
“I have no option but to put a line through that and he will run at Fairyhouse next weekend when it looks like he will be up against Willie Mullins’s good horse (Secant Star.) That should tell us more about where we stand with things,” the trainer said.
Osana could end up clashing with the Irish Arkle winner An Cathaoir Mor if Henry De Bromhead decides to let that horse run in the Flyingbolt rather than wait for the Nas Na Riogh Chase the following weekend.
De Bromhead, however, is going direct to Cheltenham with another of his best horses as the Grade Two winner Loosen My Load is being targeted at one of the big novice races at the festival.
THURLES PREVIEW
RACING at Thurles today is dependent on the track passing an 8am inspection due to the threat of a forecast severe overnight frost and Ruby Walsh is definitely one who will be hoping for a green light, writes Brian O’Connor.
The champion jockey is booked for three rides including the Tony Martin-trained Siberian Tiger who goes in the two-mile maiden hurdle.
Walsh and Martin are always a dangerous combination when they team up and Siberian Tiger looks one to watch on his first start over jumps since finding only Tilabay too good in the Lartigue at Listowel in September.
Recital Public should be a danger with form that ties in with smart performers like Summit Meeting, Whodoyouthink and Blackstairmountain but Siberian Tiger can still break his jumping duck.
Walsh is on Clear Gold for Willie Mullins in the handicap chase but this one has to concede a lot of weight to Whatsabillion who only failed by half a length to hold Hidden Crack at Clonmel last week.
Garlough was part of a thrilling four-horse race on his debut at Punchestown when losing out by just a short head to Silent Picture and looks a better bumper option than Changing Times who was a long way behind Hidden Universe at Leopardstown.
Nipper John’s rating over hurdles makes this Tipperary chase winner look worth another chance in the handicap hurdle while Karinga Queen should be tough to beat in the mares chase on the evidence of her second to Jagoes Mills over the course and distance last time.
