THE FLAMBOYANT Co Monaghan trainer Oliver Brady will continue to work his way towards potential Cheltenham fireworks in March when Ebadiyan lines up for Saturday's Grade Three feature at Punchestown, writes Brian O'Connor
Ebadiyan is a general 25 to 1 shot for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham following an all-the-way, 22-length demolition of his Naas opposition last weekend and is one of just nine entries for this weekend's Punchestown Juvenile Hurdle.
"He has tons of ability, this fella. He won in a canter at Naas, never had a race," said Brady yesterday of his €18,000 purchase out of John Oxx's yard.
"I doubt he will be bowling along on Saturday. It depends on the speed the others are going. If they are going too slow we will be at the front: if they go too fast we will be sitting in," he added.
A victory at the Cheltenham Festival has long been an ambition for Brady whose celebrations in the winner's enclosure have become a feature of the Irish racing scene in the last two decades.
Henry De Bromhead is looking further ahead to the end of this month with his star hurdler Sizing Europe, who will attempt to re-establish his Cheltenham credentials in the Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle.
Sizing Europe was a disappointing fifth to Sublimity at Leopardstown over Christmas but he will still attempt to follow up his AIG victory of last season back at the Co Dublin track.
"He is okay after Christmas. He seems in good form but we were a bit disappointed last time," De Bromhead said.
"He will head hopefully to the Toshiba and his main target hopefully will be the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham."
THURLES REFIXED
The Thurles fixture scheduled for today, which was cancelled yesterday due to severe frost, has been refixed for next Tuesday. Fresh entries have to be made by noon today.
