Haydock date for Truckers Tavern

Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Truckers Tavern will make his seasonal reappearance over timber at Haydock on Saturday.

Ferdy Murphy’s eight-year-old is on course to run in the White Lodge Handicap Hurdle over two miles and six furlongs at the Merseyside track, before tackling the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase the following weekend.

Truckers Tavern has been off the track since his second to Best Mate in March but Murphy reports his stable star to be in top form.

“We desperately need to get a race into him,” he said. “He’s back over hurdles but that is just the way it goes as he’d have to carry top weight over fences in handicaps.

“He’s in good form though and we are pleased with him.”

The Punchestown race could be a hot affair with both Michael Hourigan’s Beef Or Salmon and the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Keen Leader pencilled in for the Grade One race over two and a half miles.

“He will go to Ireland as well the week after,” Murphy said. “It looks like being a tough race but the track at Punchestown should suit him and there aren’t that many options for him.

“He will go for either the King George or the Ericsson in Ireland after that. I would prefer to go to Kempton but it will depend on the ground.”