Florida Pearl was confirmed a likely runner in next month's £120,000 Heineken Gold Cup at Punchestown by trainer Willie Mullins yesterday.
"The horse appears in great order and unless the ground is like the road, I'm happy to run him at Punchestown. It's a very valuable race," Mullins said. As for next season, Mullins is already considering the Ulster Champion Chase at Down Royal in November and a more extensive campaign than Florida Pearl has had this term.
"We've been minding him but now he is ready to race. The North Of Ireland race is a possibility and maybe he will have a race in England early in the season. We will go where there is big prizemoney as long as it fits in with his schedule," Mullins added.
Dorans Pride, second last in the Gold Cup five days ago, will make a speedier reappearance in a twomile flat race at the Curragh next Sunday.
"The horse has scoped clean and is fine. I don't know what happened at Cheltenham but possibly too much use was made of him. He won't be going back to Aintree and I hope Jamie Spencer will be able to ride him at the Curragh," trainer Michael Hourigan said.
With the flat season starting on Sunday, Aidan O'Brien is considering giving his 2,000 Guineas hope Stravinsky a very early start to the year.
Already cut from 8 to 1 to 5 to 1 with Ladbrokes for the Guineas, Stravinsky has been entered for the Loughbrown Race, a seven-furlong conditions event, along with his highly rated stable companion Black Rock Desert.
"We will make a decision in mid-week but Stravinsky might run. He is happy and well in himself and is ready for a run," O'Brien said.
Stravinsky was the impressive winner of a York maiden on his debut last August before being disqualified from second in the Prix Salamandre at Longchamp and finishing third to Mujahid in Newmarket's Dewhurst Stakes.
Godolphin yesterday held a private trial race at Dubai's Nad Al Sheba racecourse for its Kentucky Derby hopes. The workout involved Triple Crown entries Aljabr, Always Believe, Breathtaking View, Charmes, Festive Bid, Prado's Landing, Worldly Manner and three others.
Worldly Manner, ridden by Jerry Bailey, won the trial by just over a length from Aljabr (John Velasquez), with the pair comfortably ahead of the others and they are both due to represent Dubai in the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on May 1st.
Other jockeys involved yesterday included Gary Stevens, Frankie Dettori, Richard Hills and John Reid.
