Cullen lands Leap mount

John Cullen steps in for the injured Andrew McNamara as Preists Leap bids to land the Tendrleen Thyestes Handicap Chase for the third year running at Gowran Park tomorrow.

Trainer Thomas O’Leary is delighted to have secured the services of Cullen, who partnered the gelding nine times earlier in his career.

O’Leary had originally booked McNamara as Philip Enright, who had ridden Preists Leap to both his Thyestes victories will be aboard Footy Facts for Robert Tyner this time.

“Andrew had a heavy fall yesterday. There’s nothing broken but he’s not allowed to ride for three or four days,” O’Leary explained.

“John Cullen has ridden him a lot of times and had a nice winner (Ebadiyan) at Naas on Tuesday.

“Our horse will be doing his best and he definitely seems to be coming back to form.

“He has top weight this time but it won’t be a bother to him as I’m heavy myself and I ride him out a lot of days.

“I think he’ll run a big race and he’ll love the heavy ground.”

O’Leary had hoped to run Hurricane Carter but withdrew the 10-year-old at the final declaration stage because of a setback.

“He doesn’t run. On Monday he had swollen near hind leg. He had the same thing a year and two weeks ago as well,” the Co Cork trainer went on.

“We’re very disappointed, but he’ll be able to run in about three weeks.

“It’s a problem to do with retaining fluid in the leg as he’s such a big horse. It’s just bad timing. He’s on antibiotics and will have cleared up in a few days, but he can’t run for a few weeks until they’ve cleared out of his system.”

Tony Martin is hoping for a change in fortune for Lochan Lacha, who was travelling ominously well in the valuable Paddy Power Chase at Christmas before unseating his rider two from home.

Martin also had Hold The Pin and Newbay Prop entered but both will run at Leopardstown at the weekend instead.

“He was just getting into the race at Leopardstown and it looked to me like he held every chance at the time,” said Martin.

“It was just one of those things. He was unlucky, he got a bit blinded at the fence but he had every chance.

“It was decent ground at Leopardstown but he won’t mind the heavy tomorrow. He’s a big, high-actioned horse and he goes through it well, it won’t inconvenience him.

“Robbie (Colgan) has ridden him before and has ridden lots of winners for us. Whenever (Ruby) Walsh and (Paul) Carberry aren’t available, we use Robbie.

“Everything has gone good since his last run.

“Hold The Pin will go to Leopardstown for the three-mile hurdle and there is a longer race there that Newbay Prop can run in too instead.”

Tyner is pleased with Footy Facts, who effectively sent Hardy Eustace into retirement when sloshing through the rain and snow at Punchestown on New Year's Eve.

While he admits his form over fences is not quite up to the level he shows over timber, he hopes the smaller fences at Gowran will be in his favour.

“One thing is for sure, the ground won’t be a problem, he handles it well. If we even got a bit of snow we know that won’t stop him after last time as well,” said Tyner.

“It was a nice race for him last time, it worked out well and we are pleased with him at the moment.

“The only thing is we know that he is not quite as effective over fences as he is over hurdles.

“Thankfully the fences aren’t as big at Gowran as they are at the Grade One tracks.

“He was a very good novice over hurdles and we had high hopes for him over fences but he just didn’t quite take to them, he’s not a very big horse.

“He’s well handicapped on his hurdles form but he’s just not as good over them, he jumped well at Clonmel the last time he ran over fences though.

“It was an awkward decision for Philip to make but sometimes you have to make them.”