DERMOT WELD sprang a surprise by putting Fortune And Fame in the Guinness Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase, entries for which were released yesterday.
Weld has always thought highly of the 10 year old, who has twice won the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle and was fourth to Alderbrook in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 1995.
But Fortune And Fame's career has been littered with setbacks.
The gelding has been off the track since April, 1995 and has yet to jump a fence in public.
Also entered for the race before making his chasing debut is Master Tribe who won the Ladbroke at Leopardstown for Jenny Pitman early this month but was pulled up in the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock last time out.
A total of 46 entries have been made for the Arkle, a two mile novice event run on the first day of the Festival meeting, with no fewer than 81 horses put in the 25 furlong Royal Sun Alliance Chase.
Fortune And Fame is one of six Arkle entries trained in this country, which has lifted the prize with Klairon Davis and Ventana Canyon in the last two years.
Most notable among the sextet is Danoli, who goes on trial for the Gold Cup in next Sunday's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
Ireland has seven horses in the Sun Alliance, in which French trainer Francois Doumen has engaged Feltham Novices' Chase winner Djeddah.
Martin Pipe, successful with Rolling Ball in 1991 and Minnehoma the following year, has six entries, including last term's Stayers' Hurdle winner Cyborgo who scored over fences at Newton Abbot last week.
