Jered makes anticipated return

Grade One-winning novice hurdler Jered is likely to make his seasonal reappearance in the Ryan’s Cleaning Events Specialists Hurdle at Punchestown on Thursday.

The son of Presenting has not been seen in racecourse action since running out an impressive eight-length winner of the Champion Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.

Trainer Noel Meade, who has won the last two renewals of this race with Iktitaf and Aitmatov, has been happy with the six-year-old’s recent work and feels Thursday’s race is the ideal starting point for the gelding.

“I would say Jered will run at Punchestown this week and I have been very happy with him at home,” said Meade.

“Hopefully he will run well and then he will head north for the Anglo Irish Bank Hurdle at Down Royal, a race which we won with Aitmatov last year.”

Meade’s smart bumper performer Corskeagh Royale holds a couple of entries over hurdles at Punchestown’s two-day meeting, but the trainer feels he is perhaps not quite ready for a return.

“Corskeagh Royale will probably wait another week or so to be honest, he did a piece of work the other day and I think we might give him more time,” said the trainer.

“He has schooled great so he will be out before too long.”

Watson Lake is likely to be Meade’s sole representative in The Star “Best For Racing Coverage” Chase.

Meade has three entries in the Grade Three contest, with Afistfullofdollars and Ballyagran still engaged in a line-up which also includes Kicking King and War Of Attrition.

“I would say at this stage Watson Lake will probably be my runner in the race,” said Meade.

“He had to miss all of last season as he had a problem with a joint but I am very happy with him now and he seems to be well in himself.

“He’s been off the track for a long time so we’ll let him take his chance on Thursday and see how we go.”