Harchi a Navan possibility

Noel Meade has the enigmatic Harchibald pencilled in for his second outing over fences at Navan on Sunday week.

The 2005 Champion Hurdle runner-up is a latecomer to chasing, but kicked off life in his new sphere with a most-promising second to Sizing Europe at Punchestown earlier in the month.

The 10-year-old made little impression in the closing stages to be beaten 17-lengths into second, but Meade was pleased with the performance.

He said: “I don’t know for sure where he will go, but Navan on Sunday week is a possibility.

“That will be ground dependent, but he will be dropping back to two miles.

“He ran well the last day and jumped good, but he needed it more than we thought – as he always does.

“The winner was exceptional on the day, but we needed the run.”

Meade also said novice chaser Aran Concerto is working his way back to full health and was planning an assault on the major Irish staying chases.

Meade has had to be ultra-patient with the fragile eight-year-old, who landed the Barry & Sandra Kelly Memorial Novice Hurdle and the Deloitte Novice Hurdle before he became unstuck at the Cheltenham Festival.

Injury restricted him to just two runs over fences last winter, but he won both of those chase outings including the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse over Easter.

Meade said: “He knocked his good hock when winning the Powers Gold Cup, but is back doing half-speed work now.

“He is nearly ready and I guess we’ll get him back out for the beginning or middle of December.

“He isn’t rated too bad so we could look at a handicap with him, but I hope he is good enough for all of the good races like the Lexus and Hennessy.”