Weld considers his options

DERMOT WELD is considering the plusses of switching his star four year old Unaccompanied from the JCB Triumph Hurdle and instead…

DERMOT WELD is considering the plusses of switching his star four year old Unaccompanied from the JCB Triumph Hurdle and instead tackling older horses in the Stan James Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The Moyglare Stud-owned filly jumped to the front of the Triumph Hurdle betting after an impressive Grade One success at Leopardstown earlier in the month but Unaccompanied also holds an entry in the festival opener in 19 days time.

Hors La Loi was the last four year old to win the Supreme in 1999 and he was the first in 26 years to successfully tackle older horses in the two-mile event.

However Weld said yesterday: “She is in good form after Leopardstown and we have left her in both the Triumph and the Supreme. We will make a decision closer to the time but we will review things. She gets a four year old allowance and a mare’s allowance in the Supreme and we will seriously look at that race.”

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Unaccompanied was a 16-1 shot for the Supreme with William Hill yesterday while being a general 7-1 second favourite behind Grandouet for the Triumph, a race Weld won 21 years ago with Rare Holiday. Weld also has a Supreme contender in Hidden Universe who ran fourth to Oscars Well in the Deloitte at Leopardstown on just his second start over flights.

“No definite decision has been taken about him but he is still definitely in the mix for Cheltenham.”

Weld said his bumper winner Waaheb is a likely runner at Leopardstown this Sunday. Endless Intrigue will be another runner.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column