Connections consider Solerina options

Solerina could be set for a quick reappearance in Saturday’s Giltspur Scientific Tara Hurdle at Navan.

A game winner of the Ballymore Properties Hatton’s Grace Hurdle on testing ground at Fairyhouse yesterday, Solerina could have her second outing of the week in the Grade Two contest over two and a half miles.

“She’s entered in it but we’d have been an awful lot happier if we had another week to recover – it always used to be two weeks,” said trainer James Bowe’s son and assistant Michael.

“We have just less than a week but we’ll make a decision on Friday morning.

“It’s unfortunate because nothing else really suits her over Christmas and at Cheltenham.”

Solerina’s neck victory over Golden Cross took her career successes to 20, but Bowe ranks it as one of her very finest.

“It was one of her best performances ever because it didn’t come easy and she had to fight hard for it,” he added.

“I thought we had lost and I was close to tears when she held on like that to win.”

The mare is now eight years old but Bowe has no retirement date in mind at present.

He added: “This could possibly be her last season but nothing is written in stone – she’ll give off the signals when it’s time to call it a day.”