Noel Meade confirmed yesterday that he will almost certainly be represented by Snow Dragon in Saturday's William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Sandown.
After hearing the weights for the race, the Co Meath trainer confirmed that both his Hatton's Grace Hurdle runner-up Nomadic together with his other entry Aboriginal would miss the extended two-mile event, with Snow Dragon a likely runner.
"I will discuss it with the owners tomorrow but he is 90 per cent certain to run," said Meade yesterday.
If Snow Dragon does make the journey across the Irish Sea he will accompany Mitsubishi Shogun Tingle Creek Trophy Chase entry Hill Society who pleased the trainer in a gallop yesterday morning.
"I have no problems with Hill Society - he worked well this morning," he added. Meade is undecided on the conditions he would prefer at the Esher track. "I'd want good ground for Hill Society while, preferably, a bit softer for Snow Dragon.
Ladbrokes report good money for Hill Society in a lively Tingle Creek market and have cut Meade's charge from 9 to 2 to 4 to 1. "If Punts make prizes, then Hill Society has every chance of making up for his defeat in this year's Arkle," said spokesman Andy Clifton.
Edredon Bleu's favourite's tag for the Grade One Chase looks slightly uneasy with Ladbrokes lengthening the odds of the Peterborough Chase winner a quarter of a point to 9 to 4.
He was one of eight horses whose price changed throughout the day with only Lake Kariba (11 to 4) and Chief's Song (25 to 1) remaining static in the market.
The biggest move - following shrewd each-way support - saw the Josh Gifford-trained Mandys Mantino cut to 10 to 1 from 16 to 1. Snow Dragon is available at 8 to 1 with the sponsors of the £50,000-added hurdle event.
But it is Racket-ball, owned by the Winning Line Partnership, who took the eye in the exchanges tumbling from an overnight 10 to 1 to 9 to 2 by close of business.
The syndicate combined with trainer Venetia Williams to send bookmakers reeling last weekend with Teeton Mill in the Hennessy Gold Cup and look set to impose more misery on the layers on Saturday.
William Hill Handicap Hurdle betting - William Hill: 3-1 Blowing Wind (from 9-2), 9-2 Racketball (from 10), 8-1 Real Estate, Snow Dragon, 10-1 Serenus, 12-1 Khairabar, Shahrur, 14-1 Out Ranking, Vent D'Aout, 16-1 Polar Prospect, Simons Castle, 20-1 Fatehalkair, Potentate, Road Racer, 25-1 Belmarita, Mister RM, Star Rage. Ladbrokes: 11-4 Blowing Wind, 9-2 Racketball, 10-1 Real Estate, Snow Dragon Out Ranking, 12-1 Serenus, Khairabar, Shahrur, 16-1 Mister RM, Polar Prospect, Road Racer, Simons Castle, Vent D'Aout, 20-1 Belmarita, Fatehalkair, 25-1 Potentate, Star Rage.
Mitsubishi Shogun Tingle Creek Trophy Chase - Ladbrokes: 9-4 Edredon Bleu (from 2-1), 11-4 Lake Kariba, 4 (from 9-2) Hill Society, 7-1 (from 8) Direct Route, 10-1 (from 9) Klairon Davies, 10-1 (from 16) Mandys Mantino, 12-1 (from 10), Celibate, Or Royal, 14-1 (from 12) Challenger Du Luc, 25-1 Chief's Song.
