Boy on course for Champion

Limerick Boy is to go straight for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle after being none the worse for his early exit in the Tote Gold Trophy.

The six-year-old unseated conditional rider Sam Thomas after making a mistake at the first flight when strongly fancied for Saturday’s Newbury feature.

“He returned sound. The plan now is to go straight to Cheltenham for the Champion Hurdle,” said Matt Finnegan for owners Favourites Racing today.

“He’d been working extremely well on the gallops in the lead up to Newbury. We’d been very happy with him.

“It’s one of those things. We’ll never know. Newbury seems to be an unlucky track for Limerick. We never found an answer why he ran poorly there first time out this season.

“He never got the chance to make amends, It’s fingers crossed for the Champion now.”

Sam Thomas is likely to keep the ride on the Venetia Williams-trained entire at Cheltenham although no decision has yet been made.

Added Finnegan: “No decision has been made on who will ride him at Cheltenham. Sam’s ridden him extremely well. He rode an exceptional race to win the Lanzarote on him and is probably be the most likely to be on him again.”