Michael Scudamore is “quietly hopeful” Monbeg Dude will prove his fitness in time for the Crabbie’s Grand National at Aintree in April.

As the market intensifies ahead of Saturday’s Crabbie’s Grand National at Aintree, Michael Scudamore’s Monbeg Dude was the one most punters were interested in on Tuesday.

Following an enforced 20-day break due to the inclement weather conditions, point-to-point racing returned to the Cork and Waterford region on Saturday as the rescheduled Tallow meeting (run under the auspices of the West Waterford Foxhounds) took place at Shanakill Cross outside Conna.

Just one of three planned point-to-point fixtures survived the elements yesterday and that was the Island Foxhounds meeting that took place at Ballydarragh in north Co Wexford.