Solwhit looking likely to run at Festival
Despite being sidelined by injury for the best part of two years, the six-time Grade One winner has returned seemingly as good as ever, building on a promising comeback run behind Bog Warrior with an impressive victory at Naas.
“He galloped on Saturday. He worked adequately, it was nothing spectacular, but we were happy enough,” said Byrnes.
“At the moment, we are planning to go to Cheltenham with him. I can’t say he’ll definitely be there, as with him, every day is a bonus, but we are looking that way now.
“I’ve been saying all along we’d probably miss Cheltenham and wait for Aintree, but now we’re thinking the Aintree race could turn out to be a better race than the World Hurdle.
“He wasn’t fully right after his last run, he missed two or three weeks, but he seems in good form now.”
Having never encountered a distance beyond two and a half miles, Byrnes admits only time will tell whether Solwhit’s stamina will last out of three miles at Prestbury Park.
“The trip is obviously a worry. We know he stays two and a half miles well but three miles, we don’t know,” said the trainer
“I’m hopeful, but I couldn’t be confident.
“We’ll wait until the last minute before deciding on who will ride him. We’ll see who is available and then make a decision.”
Solwhit is a 12-1 with the sponsors for the World Hurdle.
Meanwhile Jessica Harrington admits the fact Jezki is no longer favourite for the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle has taken some of the pressure off as Cheltenham looms.
Unbeaten in four starts over hurdles, the five-year-old has won the last twice at Grade One level.
Subsequently bought by JP McManus, who has My Tent Or Yours, the red-hot market leader for the Festival opener, in training with Nicky Henderson, Jezki heads to the Festival off the back of a three-month break.
“Jezki hasn’t run since Christmas and hopefully we can get him fit enough – if he was as good as at Christmas I’d be happy, but I imagine he’ll improve a bit more,” said Harrington.
“The other horse (My Tent Or Yours) being the likely favourite takes the pressure off a bit, but it looks a very hot race this year.”
Tony McCoy has confirmed he will ride My Tent Or Yours in the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
McCoy also had the option of partnering fellow JP McManus hurdler Jezki, trained in Ireland by Jessica Harrington.
My Tent Or Yours is favourite for the Supreme after easily winning the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury for the Nicky Henderson team.
McCoy said: “I ride My Tent Or Yours in the Supreme Novices’ and I imagine Robbie Power will continue his association with Jezki.
“They are first and second favourite, but I have great faith in My Tent Or Yours after the way he won the Betfair Hurdle.
“This was not a hard choice as I think he is a really good horse.”
Tom Doyle has called time on his career as a jockey after riding at Navan on Saturday.
The Cheltenham Festival-winning pilot decided to hang up his saddle for good after pulling up Zardsky in the Newgrange Handicap Chase.
Doyle, who spent eight years in Britain, said: “I’ve been riding 16 years and I’ve really enjoyed it but things have gone a bit quiet and the time has come to do something else.
“I’ve a few young horses at home and hopefully I’ll have a few runners in point-to-points and see how we get on.”
Doyle started his career as an amateur working for Dusty Sheehy and had his first winner on Blackburn in a Fairyhouse bumper in 1997.
He moved to England a few years later and made his mark in 2004 when partnering the Paul Webber-trained Patricksnineteenth to victory in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown.
Continued success in England also saw him win the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Final on Oscar Park for David Arbuthnot in 2007. That summer Doyle returned home where he rode with success for a number of top yards including Michael Bowe, Michael Hourigan and Oliver McKiernan.
