Nicanor set to lead the way for Meade at Punchestown
The five-year-old was an impressive winner of the Royal & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle and is on course for the Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Champion Novice Hurdle on April 28.
“Nicanor did a little piece of work this morning and is in good form,” Meade said yesterday.
“He won on good ground at Cheltenham, so he seemed to handle that, and he’s also won on soft ground. He seems to go on anything but I wouldn’t chance him on fast ground.”
Nicanor could be joined by fellow novices Iktitaf and Sweet Wake at the Punchestown Festival.
The former has been off the track since sustaining an injury when finishing second to Mounthenry at Punchestown in February.
“I think Iktitaf will be back. He got a bad cut last time that kept him off the course, but he did a nice piece of work this morning and I was very pleased with him,” explained Meade.
“Things went very good and it looks like he’s going to make it to Punchestown.”
Iktitaf is set to clash with stablemate Cheltenham disappointment Sweet Wake in the VC Bet Champion Novice Hurdle.
Sweet Wake was considered something of an Irish banker for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, for which he started 5-2 favourite, but was only fifth behind Noland and runner-up Straw Bear, who may also reoppose in the race.
The trainer added: “Sweet Wake hasn’t worked for Punchestown yet but he’s had a little break after Cheltenham and we’re just winding him up again now.
“Iktitaf would probably like a bit of cut in the ground but the other lad, I’d probably say the better the ground the better for him.”
Meade could also field smart novice chaser Wild Passion if he runs well at Fairyhouse on Sunday.
“Wild Passion runs in the Power Gold Cup on Sunday at Fairyhouse and if all goes well I think he’ll finish up at Punchestown,” said Meade.
“Again, I’m looking for better ground with him so if everything goes alright he’ll run in either the Swordlestown Gold Cup or the Betfair.com Novice Chase.”
Watson Lake, sixth to Newmill in the Queen Mother Champion Chase before defeating Nickname in the Grade Three An Uaimh Chase at Naas, has two Grade One options at the Festival.
Meade continued: “I’m not sure which race Watson Lake will go for. He’s entered in the Guiness Gold Cup and he’s also in the two-mile Kerrygold Champion Chase, but we’ll wait until closer to the day before make up our mind which way he’s going to go.”
Meanwhile Hairy Molly is set to bid for a Festival double in the Grade One Paddy Power Champion Irish at the festival on April 26.
The six-year-old beat Pressgang by a head in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and will be out to repeat that success in the €100,000 race. Trainer Joe Crowley said: “He’s in good form after Cheltenham and is on course for the Bumper at Punchestown.”
Hairy Molly made it three wins from four starts at Cheltenham and Crowley has no concerns about the ground ahead of his latest assignment.
“His first two wins came on soft and then he won on good ground at Cheltenham, so it looks like he’ll go on anything,” he said.
As for the future, Crowley is looking for another big performance at Punchestown before making any definite plans.
“I’ll talk to the owner but I think he’ll go hurdling next season,” said Crowley.
“He’ll get a break after Punchestown and go out to grass, and then possibly go over hurdles at the back-end of this year.”
