Durkan date for Captain Cee Bee
The Edward Harty-trained nine-year-old, winner of the Grade 1 Ryanair Novice Chase at last season’s Punchestown festival, figures among 24 entries for the Grade 1 chase over 2m4f on December 5 and the trainer confirmed him to be on course for a tilt at the race.
Harty said: “The horse is in great form at the moment and will run on December 5 at Punchestown. It will be the first time that we have gone beyond two miles with him.
Last year’s winner Joncol holds an entry and his trainer Paul Nolan is hoping to see better from him, having trailed in last of the four behind Big Zeb at Naas earlier in the month. He said: “Joncol was disappointing on his first outing this season. Hopefully, he will be back on track for the Durkan.”
Another past winner of the race, The Listener could be making the trip over from Nick Mitchell’s stable. He is one of four British-trained runners in the race, along with Skippers Brig (Nicky Richards) and the Paul Nicholls-trained pair Tchico Polos and The Nightingale, who was an 11-length winner of a Grade 2 contest at Down Royal last time out.
Edward O’Grady has three possibles to choose from, with recent Clonmel Oil Chase winner Tranquil Sea the likeliest to line up.
Also among the entries is Glencove Marina who bounced back to form with a win at Thurles on his most recent start. His trainer, Eoin Griffin, said: “We were happy with him after his win at Thurles. All going well he will run in the John Durkan and, depending how he comes out of the race, we may look at extending the trip. He is untried at further but we could look at the Lexus or King George.”
Willie Mullins has Cooldine and J'y Vole among his four entries.
* BIG BUCK’S will face a maximum of seven rivals, the nearest of which is rated 20lb inferior, when he lines up in Saturday’s Grade 2 Sportingbet.com Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury.
The presence of the dual Ladbrokes World Hurdle winner meant the race was reoffered but still only seven others could befound willing to take him on, one of which is rated an incredible 90lb below the 174-rated Big Buck's.
The Nicky Henderson-trained Duc de Regniere would appear to be the most credible opposition on Official Ratings, with the likes of Afsoun and Arcalis having had their better days in the past.
Philip Hobbs has entered Duke Of Lucca and Nigel Twiston-Davies Kayf Aramis. Neptune Equester could have a first start over hurdles at the age of seven, while the 90-rated Spider Boy looks to have an impossible task.
*GORDON ELLIOTT is looking to step Carlito Brigante up in distance following his victory at Haydock on Saturday.
The stamina-sapping two miles held no fears for last season’s Triumph Hurdle fourth as he got home by two lengths from Bocamix.
“He’s come out of the race very well. We were very happy with him. It was a good performance. He’s strengthened up an awful lot. It was great,” said the Co Meath trainer. “We’ll look at something over Christmas and will step him up in trip.
“He’s more a staying horse than a two-miler. We’ll try to find a race over two and a half miles for him in a month’s time.”
