RACING: Like-A-Butterfly will undergo an important weekend work-out to see if she will be able to try to get her season back on track in Leopardstown's Baileys Arkle Trophy.
The JP McManus-owned mare was found to be suffering from a blood disorder and a soft tissue disruption after being pulled up at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day.
That left long-term plans for the Arkle at Cheltenham in temporary suspension but the McManus team yesterday declared they are "reasonably hopeful" that Like-A-Butterfly will be able to return on Sunday week.
"She will do a bit of work at the weekend and then we will make a decision, probably on Monday," said the McManus spokesman, Frank Berry.
"We cannot be sure if she will be able to run just yet and if she can't, there's a good chance that Foreman could run in the race for us instead.
"But if she does miss out, there are a few other options, and she could be ready for the Dr Moriarty Chase on Hennessy day," he added.
Like-A-Butterfly, the 2003 AIG Irish Champion Hurdle winner, shot to the front of the Cheltenham betting after an ultra-impressive chasing debut at Naas which was her first start in nearly 19 months after a serious leg problem.
However, she was never travelling well at Christmas in the Durkan New Homes Chase that eventually fell to Mariah Rollins.
Michael Hourigan was yesterday playing a straight bat to suggestions that Paul Carberry might be in line for the coveted Cheltenham Gold Cup mount on Beef Or Salmon after confirmation that a leg problem will keep Harbour Pilot out for the rest of the season.
The latter's regular rider is Carberry who deputised for Beef Or Salmon's usual partner Timmy Murphy in spectacular fashion in the Lexus Chase over Christmas.
"I don't know what is going to happen yet and I have plenty of time to make up my mind. We will have to wait and see how things pan out and I will be happy to use the best available," Hourigan said.
Murphy is the retained rider to the top owner David Johnson who has the 16 to 1 shot Celestial Gold entered for the Gold Cup.
Significantly, Hourigan did say yesterday it wasn't the case that whoever rides Beef Or Salmon in the Hennessy Gold Cup in early February will automatically be on the horse at Cheltenham.
A total of 24 races will be run at the festival, four more than up to now, but bookmakers don't believe the extra opportunities will necessarily yield extra winners for the Irish.
Cashmans yesterday started betting on the number of Irish-trained winners at Cheltenham and they go one price, 9 to 2 favourite, about either three, four or five victories.
It's then 11 to 2 about six winners and 8 to 1 about seven which is the highest total achieved by the Irish in the past in both 1996 and 1977.
Eleven horses have been left in the Keogh Car Sales Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse including Hi Cloy who beat Kicking King in last season's Power Gold Cup.
However, his trainer Michael Hourigan said: "I might just wait with him for a hurdle at Naas the following weekend.
"There's been no problem with him, we've just been taking our time, and we're thinking more of Liverpool than Cheltenham."
A euro from all admission fees and a euro from all racecards will be donated to the tsunami disaster relief fund at Limerick today where Dabiroun should get punters off to a good start in the opening maiden hurdle.
The ex-John Oxx horse found Strangely Brown too good for him on his jumping debut over Christmas but that experience should help him confirm form with Time On Your Side.
Albertini was a wide-margin winner over the course and distance here at Christmas but then flopped at Tramore less than a week later.
He is 9lb higher in the ratings for the second division of the handicap hurdle but the return to Limerick could make the difference.
The 2003 Grand National hero, Monty's Pass, has another spin over hurdles in the novice event but Ruby Walsh looks to have the goods for this one in Kilcash Native.
