Hardy Eustace all set for Navan return
Dessie Hughes’ stable star was forced to miss an engagement at Fairyhouse nine days ago after scoping dirty, but the reigning champion was yesterday confirmed on course for the Grade Two Giltspur Scientific Tara Hurdle.
“He schooled this morning and I was very happy with him,” said Hughes. “I won’t scope him again until Friday before the declarations but the intention is to run at the weekend. He scoped last week and was clean.”
The seven-year-old has not been seen since defeating Rooster Booster in the Emo Oil Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, which followed his famous triumph over the same rival the previous month.
“I’m sure he’ll come on for his first run and it will be nice to see him back on the track - but he won’t run unless he is 100 per cent,” warned the County Kildare-based handler.
“We are happy with him, though, and I am sure he is alright.”
Eight horses were entered for the two-and-a-half-mile contest yesterday, including Emotional Moment, Rosaker, Top Strategy and the front-running mare Solerina.
“It looks quite a decent race,” said Hughes. “We will have to follow Solerina round and try and keep up with her. We have missed a week and that won’t help us but I think he is nearly fit enough and will head to the Bewleys (Festival Hurdle) at Leopardstown over Christmas after the weekend.”
Meanwhile leading bonusprint.com Gold Cup fancy Non So has still to be confirmed a definite runner in the Cheltenham highlight as stamina doubts continue to linger.
Although travelling well when falling in a Grade Two event over two and a half miles at Windsor last month, the six-year-old has yet to win at distances much beyond two miles over fences.
“It’s a difficult decision with Non So,” trainer Nicky Henderson said today. “He was getting there over two and a half miles at Windsor and not really stopping. But I just feel he is a two-mile horse.
“You don’t really want to be testing their stamina in a race like this.
“On the strength of his Windsor run you’d be tempted to think he might stay, but two miles and five furlongs at Cheltenham might not be the place to find out - I think you really need a horse who stays three miles to win the race.”
The master of Seven Barrows also has his 2002 winner Fondmort and Scot’s Grey engaged in the Grade Three handicap.
Philip Hobbs’ Monkerhostin and Farmer Jack both look set to take their chance in the showpiece, however, leaving the trainer with strong claims on the £110,000 prize.
The pair are quoted at around 7-1 and 16-1 respectively and the Minehead handler told At The Races: “The plan is, providing they both get there in one piece, they will both take their chance.”
Monkerhostin would appear to be Hobbs’ leading hope after the seven-year-old finished third to Celestial Gold in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Prestbury Park last month.
“He has got to have a very decent chance and is off a potentially lenient handicap mark compared to his hurdle rating,” Hobbs continued. “However, we thought that in the Paddy Power and although he ran well, he didn’t win. He must have a decent chance this weekend, though.”
