Big Zeb back in business

Colm Murphy will give Big Zeb a confidence-boosting run over hurdles at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday in readiness for a trip to the Punchestown Festival.

The eight-year-old was sent off the co-second favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last time, but took a crashing fall four fences from home.

Murphy reports Big Zeb to have returned from that experience relatively unscathed, and would like to get one more run into his charge before a tilt at the Kerrygold Champion Chase on April 28.

“He will run in either the Ladbrokes.com Hurdle or the King Crisps Hurdle on the same card – I don’t know which one he’ll go for yet,” said Murphy.

“He was a little bit sore initially after Cheltenham but is very good now and I’m very happy with him.

“I want to get a spin into him before Punchestown and, as it turns out, it will be over hurdles.

“It will help his confidence and I would imagine he’ll go for the two-mile chase at Punchestown.”