Son to bypass Powers Gold Cup date

Santa’s Son is likely to sidestep Sunday’s Powers Gold Cup and wait for more suitable conditions at the Punchestown Festival.

John O’Shea’s chestnut, who picked up a pair of impressive victories from his first two outings over fences, pulled-up behind Notre Pere on his most recent run in the Knight Frank Ganly Walters Novice Chase over Christmas.

“At the moment I am leaning towards not running,” said County Kilkenny-based O’Shea.

“The ground is heavy there at the moment and they have more rain forecast so I don’t really want him to jump through that in such a competitive race.

“He’s won on heavy, but has had a couple of breathing operations and I’m not keen on running him in very bad ground.

“We’d be rated upwards of a stone behind the likes of Sky’s The Limit, J’y Vole and Big Zeb and what with Cheltenham last week, we entered him mainly because we hoped it would cut up.

“I think we will wait for Punchestown now and the Betfair Novices’ Chase.”

In Santa’s Son’s most recent outing in the Leopardstown Grade One, he produced another of his now customary efforts, jumping flashily at the front before a mistake at the fifth last put paid to his chances.

O’Shea continued: “We were disappointed but John Cullen said he was just not happy going left-handed and I think the winning time was faster than the Lexus Chase at the meeting.

“I also think with his style he probably finds it hard to get three miles. He might not be of Grade One standard, but I’m keen to drop him back in trip again.”