Late decision on Eile bid
John Queally will wait until Friday morning before deciding whether to commit Al Eile to the Stan James Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day.
The five-year-old captured the notable scalp of Inglis Drever in his last run over timber in the Aintree Hurdle over two and a half miles in April when Timmy Murphy was in the saddle.
The County Waterford trainer had planned to delay his seasonal reappearance until Haydock next month, but has had second thoughts as the Sandown race was reopened and the horse is more forward than expected.
“There’s a good chance we’ll travel to Sandown, but we’ll decide after he’s worked on Friday morning,” said Queally.
“If he doesn’t go to Sandown I don’t think he’ll run before Haydock. There’s nothing for him. I hope Timmy will be able to ride him if we do run.
“We didn’t intend running him until the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on January 21, but he’s come round quicker then we expected.
“He ran at Royal Ascot at York so he was a bit late going out, but we’re ready to roll again.”
A surprise omission from the entries was Lingo as trainer Jonjo O’Neill was not totally happy with his condition.
“His blood picture wasn’t as good as Jonjo would have liked so he is giving him a bit more time,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus.
“I don’t know where we’ll see him at the minute. It’s nothing too serious, but Jonjo wasn’t 100 per cent happy.”
Last year’s winner Harchibald heads the 12 possibles for this year’s renewal of the Grade One contest, although he may well go instead for the Bewleys Hotels December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown next Thursday.
Only nine initial entries were received, with Charlton Kings, Hawkit as well as Al Eile being added to the field this morning.
In addition to the latter and Harchibald, Colm Murphy’s Feathard Lady completes a three-strong Irish entry.
Emma Lavelle is responsible for two of the entries in Self Defense and William Hill Handicap Hurdle fourth Cloudy Grey, while Howard Johnson has the option of running Triumph Hurdle third Akilak.
Intersky Falcon represents O’Neill, improving novice Natal is the sole entry for Paul Nicholls, while Gary Moore’s Dusky Warbler and the Steve Gollings-trained Royal Shakespeare complete the field.
