Nolan keeps faith in Defy Logic

Paul Nolan is still keen to run Defy Logic at the big spring festivals despite his defeat at Naas on Sunday.

Fairyhouse, Punchestown and possibly Cheltenham remain on the agenda for the six-year-old.

The Co Wexford trainer has lost none of his faith in the JP McManus-owned gelding after he was beaten by the highly-promising Annie Power in the paddypower.com Novice Hurdle.

A decision on whether Defy Logic takes up his one entry at Cheltenham, in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle, has yet to be decided.

“He’s 100%. We were disappointed to be beaten, but he’s come up against something probably special,” said Nolan.

“I still think we have a very nice horse on our hands and we are looking forward to putting him over a fence later on.

“We haven’t spoken about Cheltenham yet, so I don’t really know.

“We just want to get him to settle a bit better and get him to drop his head a bit.

“We will be looking at Fairyhouse and Punchestown if he doesn’t go to Cheltenham. We will wait a couple of days to see what we do.”

Sweeney Tunes is set to bypass Cheltenham and wait for the big Fairyhouse meeting over Easter following a Grade Two success at Naas on Sunday.

Though Sweeney Tunes is entered in six races at Britain’s premier jumps fixture in two weeks’ time trainer Nolan prefers to wait two more weeks for Fairyhouse.

The Powers Gold Cup on March 31 and the Ladbrokes Irish Grand National on April 1 are the two races Nolan has in mind for the seven-year-old after his win in the Woodlands Park 100 Club Nas Na Riogh Novice Chase.

“He’s come out of it very well. We were very pleased to win a Grade Two with a 137-rated horse,” said Nolan.

“We ran him there instead of Cheltenham. We were going to go for one of the handicaps there, but thankfully we’ve picked up a Grade Two which is compensation for not having the trip over there.

“We’ll take a look at Fairyhouse with him now. He’ll have a couple of options there, the Powers Gold Cup and the Irish National.

“I suppose there won’t be as many horses taking him on with the horses that are going for the novice handicap, the RSA and the Arkle over there.

“Hopefully, he’d have a good chance against the ones who are staying at home.”

Meanwhile, Dessie Hughes may give Rare Bob one more run before the John Smith’s Grand National following his encouraging effort at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

The 11-year-old delighted his trainer when finishing fourth to Roi Du Mee in the Bobbyjo Chase, usually a significant trial for the Aintree showpiece.

Rare Bob will receive much more there than the 5lb he got from the principals that also included runner-up Prince De Beauchene and Seabass.

“I was more than pleased. He’s back as good as ever I think this year,” said Hughes. “He’ll be a stone better at Aintree with two or three he ran against on Saturday.

“He’ll probably run in a three-mile-two conditions chase at Down Royal on March 17. If not, he’ll run in a hurdle race just before that.

“One of those might just fit in well before Aintree. We’ll see.

“It was a lovely run. He jumped well apart from one little mistake.”