RACING: A decision is likely today on whether Sackville will travel for Saturday's Pillar Chase at Cheltenham or instead switch back to hurdles at Gowran Park on Thursday.
Ireland's shortest priced Gold Cup hope is a surprise name among the 13 entries for the Hacketts Fighting Blindess Hurdle over three miles on Thursday.
Joe Crowley, father of Sackville's trainer, Frances Crowley, said yesterday: "There is a realistic chance he will run at Gowran but we won't make our minds up until tomorrow."
Sackville's name figures, along with the Ted Walsh-trained Rince Ri, among the horses left in the Pillar which is developing into one of the major Gold Cup trials this season.
Even in the absence of Sackville the Cheltenham race promises to be a fascinating renewal after nine horses were left in at yesterday's confirmation stage.
Gold Cup clues should be in the offing as the Nicky Henderson-trained King George VI Chase third Bacchanal is poised to take on the Robert Ogden-owned Marlborough, who would be making his first appearance since landing the replacement Gold Cup at Sandown last April.
Cyfor Malta, troubled by injury in recent seasons but right back to form with a victory at Newbury last month, represents the Martin Pipe yard.
He won this race in 1999 when he had four lengths to spare over Go Ballistic, who could reoppose and is now in the care of Henrietta Knight.
Knight has also left in Lord Noelie, subject of support for the Gold Cup in recent weeks and a solid fourth under a big weight in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on his last outing.
The line-up is completed by Ferdy Murphy's Paris Pike and Legal Right from the in-form Jonjo O'Neill stable.
- Trainer John Wade ended a four-and-a-half-month drought without a winner in some style when he completed a 373 to 1 double with Dashing Buck in the Panasonic Handicap Chase and Devil's Run in the betabet Handicap Hurdle at Wetherby yesterday.
He was helping Richard McGrath, who partnered Dashing Buck, complete a 135 to 1 double as the latter had earlier had the ride on the Mick Easterby-trained Belisario in the Cloud 9 Fitness Studio Novices' Chase.
Belisario is fortunate to be racing, but he is clearly a useful sort when he is sound and given a good ride by McGrath, who had him jumping well throughout, he led at the fourth last and drew right away.
Venetia Williams has a good record at the course and she was present to see Follow Lammtarra make a successful jumping debut under Norman Williamson in the Sponorship Luncheon Novices' Hurdle. The five-year-old raced on the Flat for Mick Channon.
