Aran plans hinge on Deloitte heat

Noel Meade is set to establish which race Aran Concerto will run in at the Cheltenham Festival after the Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on Saturday.

The highly-regarded six-year-old is favourite for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs but also figures prominently in the betting for the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle over an extended two miles.

But with Saturday’s race taking place over two miles, two furlongs, Meade thinks it will give him a big pointer to the gelding’s Festival target.

“He had a spin round Punchestown after racing with Harchibald on Sunday and everything seems to going well,” said Meade.

“The Deloitte on Saturday is over two-mile-two so it will give us an idea as to which way we will go with him at Cheltenham.

“We should know whether to head for the two-mile-five-furlong race or come back to two miles.

“We are just going on what he has been doing at home and he certainly shows us plenty of speed.

“It looks like the Supreme could be the weaker of the two but there is a lot of water to pass under the bridge between now and then – there is no such thing as an easy race at Cheltenham,” the County Meath handler told At The Races.

Aran Concerto is 8-1 with William Hill for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, and 11-4 with the same firm for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle.

Meade won the latter last year with Nicanor, who is making good progress from a season-ending injury.

“His latest scans have come back all-clear and we are very hopeful that he will make a full recovery but we just have to keep our fingers crossed for him,” added the Irish handler.