Racing: Upmanship waits for three-mile test

Native Upmanship will miss today’s BMW Chase to wait for the Punchestown Heineken Gold Cup tomorrow.

Trainer Arthur Moore wants to run the nine-year-old in the Grade One race over three miles and one furlong rather than in the two-miler with a view to plans for next season.

‘‘We want to try him over three miles as it is a prestigious race in its own right and running over that trip would give us more options with next season in mind,’’ said Moore yesterday.

‘‘There are races like the King George at Kempton to consider.

‘‘He’s run well over three miles on heavy ground and if Foxchapel King hadn’t run in the Ericsson Chase people wouldn’t be questioning whether he stays. He finished ahead of horses like Rince Ri that day when he was second.’’

Moore relies on Fadoudal Du Cochet in the €100,000 BMW Chase, the richest race on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival, for which seven horses have been declared.