Tied Cottage or Hennessy for Europe
Although now an 11-year-old, Henry De Bromhead’s stable star has appeared as good as ever in winning his three starts this season, completing the hat-trick with a typically sure-footed round of jumping in the Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown over the Christmas period.
De Bromhead remains open-minded about what trip the multiple Grade One winner will be campaigned over this spring, with the two-mile Tied Cottage at Punchestown on February 3 and the three-mile Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown a week later his next couple of options.
He holds entries in the two-mile Queen Mother Champion Chase, the two-mile-five-furlong Ryanair Chase and the three-and-a-quarter-mile Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Festival.
“He’s great, he’s in good form and the plan is to enter him in the Tied Cottage and the Hennessy,” said De Bromhead. “I wouldn’t like to say either way at the moment which race he’ll run in . We’ll just see what the ground is like nearer the time and go from there.”
De Bromhead is similarly in no rush to decide on Sizing Europe’s Cheltenham target, with ground conditions in March bound to be a huge factor. “He’s entered in all three races and again it will be about seeing what the ground is like and what the competition is like in each race. Then we can make a decision,” he said.
Meanwhile Hit The Headlines is unlikely to make the journey from Ireland for Saturday’s Keltbray Holloway’s Hurdle at Ascot.
A smart sort for Nicky Henderson in bumpers and as a novice over hurdles, the seven-year-old joined Charlie Swan during the summer and was not disgraced when fourth in a decent race at Leopardstown on his debut for the yard over the Christmas period.
However, the possible participation of Peddlers Cross means Hit The Headlines could be out of the handicap this weekend and with the forecast uncertain for the rest of the week, Hit The Headlines is set to stay at home. Swan said: “He probably won’t be travelling looking at the forecast.
“It looks pretty bad at the moment and we might just stay at home with our horse and go for the Boylesports Hurdle in Leopardstown at the end of the month (January 26).”
Swan also has Sands Cove engaged in the Holloway’s Hurdle, but he is even further out of the handicap than his stablemate.
