Muirhead receives Champion call-up

Muirhead looks like being Noel Meade’s sole representative in the Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown next Sunday.

The Co. Meath handler also has Christmas Hurdle hero Harchibald, Jered and Jazz Messenger engaged – but all three look doubtful at this stage. Aitmatov is still in the shake-up but he won at Naas on Saturday.

“Muirhead looks like being the one for us at the moment as the ground looks like it has gone for Harchibald and Jered,” said Meade.

“I don’t think Jazz Messenger will be ready in time.

“Harchibald will probably now go straight to Cheltenham for the Champion Hurdle, while we might try and find another race for Jered beforehand.

“Ideally, he could do with a little bit more experience so we will have to see what we can find – but he won’t run anywhere the ground is soft.”

Meade is weighing up the options for Aitmatov following his hard fought success in the Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas on Saturday.

It was a welcome victory for the eight-year-old having failed to hit the target in over a year and Meade was delighted with how he got the better of Clopf after the final flight.

The gelding does hold an entry in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, a race in which he was sixth last season, but Meade is currently favouring a trip to Aintree a month later.

“It was great to get that win into him and he kept on really well in conditions which he doesn’t really like,” said Meade.

“We were maybe a bit lucky as Clopf stopped a bit in front but we are delighted and he will need a bit of a break now as the conditions were testing enough.

“He is in the World Hurdle so we will obviously have a look at that but I think two and a half miles suits him better so Aintree could be an option.

“That would probably suit him down to the ground but we will see nearer the time.