Solerina heads Stayers field

Solerina, one of the most popular horses in training, will step back up to three miles in tomorrow’s Ballymore Properties Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown.

The eight-year-old will be having a third attempt at the trip after finishing fourth behind Iris’s Gift in the 2004 Stayers’ Hurdle before falling in the Boyne Hurdle in February.

Trainer James Bowe has since given Solerina a spin on the Flat to limber up for tomorrow and she obliged when lifting an amateur riders event at Tipperary a fortnight ago.

Michael Bowe, assistant and son of the trainer, said: “Tipperary got her grand as she was fresh and well and hopefully she will be the same tomorrow.

“You can never tell a lot from her work at home, but she seems fine and well after her break.

“We have always wanted to try her over three miles at Punchestown and we’ll see if she stays – she will if she goes slow enough!”

The front-running Solerina will face nine other rivals including Emotional Moment, who was pulled up in this year’s renewal of the Ladbrokes World (Stayers) Hurdle, and Willie Mullins’s two useful novices Homer Wells and Our Ben.

Mullins has also declared Rule Supreme, who runs at Punchestown today, with Kadoun, Rosaker and Yogi completing the home time.

Ferdy Murphy sends across two British raiders in Carlys Quest and Basilea Star, who finished 10th in a Listed hurdle at the track yesterday.