Zeb given Punchestown green light

Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Big Zeb will be aimed at next month’s Punchestown Festival.

The nine-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Queen Mother and will bid to follow up in the Kerrygold Champion Chase on April 20, a race in which he was beaten just a head by Master Minded last year.

Immediately after Cheltenham trainer Colm Murphy was in no rush to commit him to Punchestown but he has been pleased with him since.

“We’re coming back down to earth again now but it was an absolutely fabulous day,” Murphy told At The Races.

“He’s come out of it in good form and I’m delighted with him, so the plan is for him to go back to Punchestown for the Kerrygold.

“We’ll just freshen him up and we’re lucky that he doesn’t take much work, so Punchestown is definitely the next plan.”