Cyclone heading for festival

Shark Hanlon is keeping his fingers crossed there is some ease in the ground at the Punchestown Festival later this month ahead of Hidden Cyclone’s intended appearance in the Boylesports.com Champion Chase.

The nine-year-old has run some fantastic races in defeat since winning a minor event at Listowel back in September, placing in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham, the Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown, the Clarence House Chase at Ascot and most recently chasing home Dynaste in the Ryanair Chase.

Boylesports make Hanlon’s stable star their 4-1 favourite to clinch a first Grade One victory on April 29 and the County Carlow-based trainer reports his charge to be in fine form.