Dice ready to roll

Tom Taaffe hopes Tumbling Dice can return to the form of his impressive Hilly Way Chase success when he returns to two miles for the Byrne Group Plc Tied Cottage Chase on Sunday.

Although he is set to face strong opposition in the upcoming Punchestown heat, with Nickname and Newmill possible runners, Taaffe feels campaigning his charge over the minimum trip could be the key to getting the best out of him.

Of his 11-length breeze in the Hilly Way at Cork, Taaffe said: “They went a fair gallop and he jumped well and travelled well that day and got a good ride from Shane (McGovern), who kicked on.

“He was really good that day and then we went for the Grade Two race that Forget The Past won (Kinloch Brae Chase), which was probably near enough a Grade One with the horses that were in it.

“I just don’t think he stayed the two and a half miles at Thurles but he was third in the Coral Cup one year and third in the Jewson Novices’ last year.

“I do think he is probably more of a two-mile or two-and-two (furlong) horse really, but it looks quite a hot race at the weekend.”