Inis gears up for Leopardstown

Trainer Denis Hogan is starting to tune up Inis Meain for his major assignment in the Boylesports.com Hurdle on Saturday.

Although also entered in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury, the County Tipperary trainer says his prime objective is Leopardstown’s valuable handicap.

The sponsors have taken no chances about the six-year-old, who was a laughably easy winner on the Flat on his most recent outing at Listowel in September and make him their ante-post favourite.

Inis Meain had scored on three other occasions on the Flat during the summer since a moderate run in a conditional riders’ handicap hurdle at Aintree.

“Leopardstown is Plan A, although there’s still a little time to go and I have a bit of work to do with him yet,” said Hogan.

“He had been running all summer and hadn’t had a long time off after Aintree, so I wanted to give him a break.”

Inis Meain has recently been purchased by powerful Irish owner Barry Connell, and Hogan said: “It’s great to have Barry involved in the yard and hopefully we can be lucky for him.”

Meanwhile Robert Tyner believes Tullintain is coming to himself at just the right time as he aims to go one better than last year in tomorrow’s Goffs Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park.

The 10-year-old was second to On His Own 12 months ago and showed he was coming back to something approaching his best when second in a valuable handicap at Limerick last time out.

He also holds an entry in the Leopardstown Handicap on Saturday, but Gowran will be his destination.

“He’ll run in the Thyestes where we’ll hope to go one better than last year,” said Tyner.

“You never know, it’s a very competitive race.

“He was unlucky the last day, Jim Dreaper’s horse (Harpsy Cord) fell and interfered badly with us, otherwise we would have won. Mind, if he hadn’t fallen, we’d still only have been second.

“He’s on a similar mark to last year and he seems to come to himself at this time of year.

“He seems to go through the heavy ground well enough so that won’t be a problem.”

Paddy Power make Tullintain an 11-1 chance to avenge last year’s defeat.

The JP McManus-owned Jenari, who held an entry in Saturday's Grade 2 novice chase at Leopardstown, was put down yesterday morning after breaking a leg.

The six-year-old, trained by Jessica Harrington, was a 20-1 shot for the Centenary Novices' Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He opened his chasing account at Naas in October and had secured several high-profile placings since.

In a 15-race career he won four times, including a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Fairyhouse. McManus previously owned Jenari's half-brother Jered and recently purchased his brother Jezki, the 7-2 William Hill Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite.

David Pipe is considering a tilt at the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham with the unbeaten Vieux Lion Rouge.

The French-bred four-year-old was a 14-length winner at Ffos Las on his debut and followed up at Newbury last time out.

He is related to Marcel, who Pipe’s father Martin enjoyed great success with in the 2004-05 season, winning nine races including the Tolworth Hurdle.

“Vieux Lion Rouge is a most promising young horse and he extended his record to two wins from two starts with a courageous performance in the bumper at Newbury,” Pipe wrote in his blog on www.davidpipe.com.

“Bought from the Arqana sales in July for what is beginning to look like a very reasonable €42,000, I will certainly be considering a crack at the Cheltenham Festival bumper with him.

“He comes from an excellent family – his dam was a half-sister to a multiple winner we had at the yard, Marcel.

“Indeed, we have a very nice crop of youngsters coming through, including several bumper winners and he would be right up there with the best of them.”

Connections of Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup ante-post favourite Bobs Worth are “desperate” for the Argento Chase to take place.

Cheltenham Trials Day on Saturday is in doubt due to the wintry weather, but the Hennessy Gold Cup winner would still run in the traditional Gold Cup trial if it was rescheduled for a later date.

Malcolm Kimmins, who heads up the syndicate who own him, The Not Afraid Partnership, said: “As far as we’re concerned, everything has gone well since the Hennessy and it’s all systems go for the weekend.

“Obviously that is up in the air due to the weather but, like everyone in racing, we’re desperate for it to be on.

“Nicky Henderson has always said since the Hennessy that he’d have one more run before the Gold Cup, but obviously he does go well fresh as he went straight from winning the RSA Chase to the Hennessy without a run.

“He could go straight to the Gold Cup without a run as there’s a lack of options.

“I really hope that even if Saturday is abandoned they will do everything they can to save the meeting, as so many people have requested it.

“We really could do with an alternative if it is off.”