Nolan watching ground for Etoile
Leading Arkle Trophy hope Accordion Etoile could be a late absentee from the Independent Newspaper Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on Sunday if the ground eases further.
Trainer Paul Nolan wants to run last year’s Greatwood Hurdle winner in the £40,000-added contest but will not risk him on very soft going.
“The ground is just about soft now. They’ve had terrible rain this afternoon. We hope to run but if it gets much worse we would have to contemplate pulling him out,” said the County Wexford trainer.
“We’re hoping for a drying day tomorrow.”
The six-year-old looked like going close on his chasing debut at Limerick until making a costly error at the second-last fence.
Even so he was only beaten two and a half lengths by the more experienced Watson Lake.
“We’re just hoping he jumps well and doesn’t repeat his Limerick mistake,” Nolan added of the Champion Hurdle fourth.
“You are always worried something like that might happen. If he hadn’t made that mistake it would have been a beautiful introduction.
“He’s schooled well at home since but you don’t know what will happen until you go to the track. It’s only the start of his chasing career and hopefully he’ll put in a safe round of jumping.”
Willie Mullins also wants the going to dry out to help the chance of Davenport Democrat.
“I just hope the ground dries out after all the rain they’ve had,” said the County Carlow-based handler. “He’s in good form and has won his last three races over fences.”
There are two other Irish challengers among the 10-strong field, Mattys Joy, who was second to Davenport Democrat at Listowel in September, and Charlie Swan’s Master Of the Chase, a winner at Roscommon on soft ground earlier last month.
Leading the home contingent are the Paul Nicholls-trained Albuhera, Philip Hobbs’ Chilling Place and Va Vavoom from the Nigel Twiston-Davies stable.
The Martin Pipe-trained Tamarinbleu makes his chasing debut after a fair hurdling career and is the youngest horse in the line-up at the age of five.
