Captain on course for Durkan Chase
Tom Taaffe’s seven-year-old won a Grade Two novice hurdle at Fairyhouse at the end of last season, but connections wasted no time in sending him over fences.
He opened his account at the first time of asking back at Fairyhouse in October and created a big impression in doing so.
“He’s in good form and he goes for the Durkan Novice Chase all being well,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to the owner, JP McManus.
“Unfortunately he missed an engagement at Navan 10 days ago when that meeting was called off, which was a pity, but he is in good form and Tom is very happy with him.
“We are looking forward to seeing him.
“I don’t think the soft ground will inconvenience him too much and there hasn’t been too much racing at Leopardstown this year so it should be OK.
“Barry Geraghty will be riding him as Tony (McCoy) will be at Kempton.”
Meanwhile, promising second-season chaser Mansony is likely to return to action in the paddypowerpoker.com Handicap Chase at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day.
Arthur Moore has pencilled-in the two-mile-one-furlong contest for his seven-year-old, who has been off the track since falling at Fairyhouse in April.
And providing he continues to please his handler and comes through his planned return unscathed, Moore has suggested he could make the trip across the Irish Sea to contest the £140,000 Victor Chandler chase at Ascot on January 20.
“Mansony reappears at Leopardstown, all being well,” the Co Kildare trainer explained.
“He’s in good shape at the moment and I’m very happy with him. The Victor Chandler would naturally be an option for him if he does run well at the weekend.
“He was given a handicap mark for his run at Liverpool last year and I think it’d probably be similar to that.”
Recalling last season, when Mansony’s most emphatic success came in a Grade Two race at Navan, Moore added: “He was impressive when he beat Zum See.
“I don’t think Zum See was right that day so it may have been a bit of a soft touch but he still won nicely and I think he’s a nice horse.”
