Zeb team waits on ground

Ground conditions will dictate the early December objective for Big Zeb following his impressive return to action at Navan.

The eight-year-old was given an ice-cool ride by Barry Geraghty to defeat Made In Taipan by an hard-held half-length in the Fortria Chase on Sunday.

Now trainer Colm Murphy will give Big Zeb an entry in both the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on December 5 and the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase a day later.

“He’s grand, there’s not a bother on him, you wouldn’t know he’d had a race. It was grand,” said Murphy.

“It would have done his confidence the world of good. I’m not sure which race for him next. The weather will dictate everything with him. If the ground is soft over here, he’ll probably go for the Tingle Creek. He’ll have an entry in both Sandown and Punchestown races.”

Should he go for the Tingle Creek over two miles, he could have an early re-match with the brilliant Master Minded, who beat him a head in the Kerrygold Champion Chase at Punchestown in April.

Potential rivals in the John Durkan over two and a half miles could include The Listener, winner of the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday.