O'Neill takes aim at Mate

Jonjo O’Neill is set to pitch Keen Leader in against triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate at Leopardstown.

The Jackdaws Castle handler is leaning towards the Lexus Chase at the Irish track on December 28 rather than the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby for the eight-year-old, who was a moderate third to Horus in the Edward Hanmer Memorial Chase at Haydock on his seasonal debut.

“We will look at the Rowland Meyrick for him, but if the ground is soft enough, I wouldn’t mind taking him to Leopardstown for the Lexus,” said O’Neill. “I wouldn’t be afraid to take on the other horse.

“I wasn’t too disappointed at Haydock bearing in mind it was his seasonal debut, but when we prepared him for the Tommy Whittle he wasn’t quite right a few days beforehand, so he may not have been himself on his first run after all.

“He’s in good order now, touch wood.”