Solwhit ready for Naas outing
A winner of six Grade One events, the nine-year-old was sidelined by injury for the best part of two years after chasing home old rival Hurricane Fly in the 2011 Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Despite the lengthy absence, the nine-year-old appeared to retain plenty of his old enthusiasm and ability when second to Bog Warrior on his comeback on New Year’s Eve and he is now set to step up to Grade Three level this weekend.
Trainer Charles Byrnes said: “The intention is for him to run at the moment. Fingers crossed all goes well between now and Saturday.
“I was happy enough with his first run back and I’ve been happy with him since.
“His next run will tell us a lot more and we’ll see where we stand after that.”
Byrnes was on Monday forced to retire his other stable star Weapon’s Amnesty due to injury, but he believes Solwhit has a better chance of extending his racing career.
“We’ll take it a day at a time but I’d be more hopeful with Solwhit than with the other horse. Solwhit is a lot easier to get fit and doesn’t need as much work,” said the trainer.
Joe Tizzard meanwhile has lost no faith in Cue Card despite him failing to stay the three miles of the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton.
A drop back in trip is certain for the seven-year-old, trained by the jump jockey’s father Colin, with his next run pencilled in for next month after he finished fifth behind Long Run on Boxing Day.
The two-mile-five-furlong Ryanair Chase, for which he is a general 6-1 chance, is the most likely target at the Cheltenham Festival, although Tizzard junior has not ruled out the Queen Mother Champion Chase over two miles should the ground be soft.
“He had a hard race at Kempton like they all did. It rode a decent race, a real test of stamina and he’s come out of it fine,” the jockey said. “He’ll have a run at the beginning of February. There are no plans as such yet, but he’ll have a run then and go straight to Cheltenham.
“I don’t think he’ll go back up to three miles, but before the Arkle last year I thought two miles was his trip on softer ground all through Christmas time, but then after that I thought we should probably go further.
“If the ground ends up goodish at Cheltenham, he’ll most likely run in the Ryanair but if it came up softer, he could possibly drop back for the Queen Mother.
“Over two miles and two and a quarter you can ride him real positive, but there is no way you could have done that at Kempton. On better ground we might try the trip again.
“I haven’t changed my opinion of him just because he didn’t get the trip in the King George. At Exeter (in the Haldon Gold Cup), he was awesome that day. I like to ride him positive, sending him on and use his jumping and his stride. It’s a pity to waste that speed got he’s over a longer trip, hence we’re dropping him back.”
