Walsh set for Business mount

See More Business will have a new jockey for his intended return to action at Down Royal on Saturday week.

Top Irish rider Ruby Walsh is set to take the mount on the 1999 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in the James Nicholson Champion Chase, a Grade One race which heads the Northern Ireland Festival of Racing on November 8 and 9.

The 12-year-old’s trainer Paul Nicholls said: “This will be the first time that Ruby has ridden See More Business but I am very confident and the horse is in great form.

“I am also hopeful that Ruby will be available to ride Kadarann in the Killultagh Properties Chase which is a Grade Three race for second season novices on the same card.”

See More Business, who proved he is no back number with a fine third in last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, has also been entered in the Peterhouse Group Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday.

But Barry Simpson, racing manger to owner Sir Robert Ogden, said: “As far as I know See More Business is an intended runner at Down Royal. Wetherby is just another alternative but we’ve got Marlborough entered at Wetherby as well.

“We’ve always had the Down Royal race in our minds as See More Business’s first appearance.

“If ground conditions weren’t correct he could switch to Wetherby but the intention is to run him at Down Royal.”

Connections have no immediate thoughts of retirement for the gelding and Simpson added: “While the horse is enjoying his racing we will continue to run him.”

Meanwhile, Willie Mullins said that his star chaser Florida Pearl was on target to run in the Nicholson Chase and Davenport Milenium, one of last season’s top novices, was a possible for the Anglo Irish Hurdle on the first day of the meeting.