Meade happy with Champions pair

Noel Meade has his fingers crossed conditions at Leopardstown will suit his two runners in the paddypower.com Future Champions Novice Hurdle tomorrow.

The County Meath trainer saddles Formidableopponent and Dylan Ross in the Grade One contest and both would prefer the ground not to be too soft.

Formidableopponent is on a hat-trick after two wins at Navan last month.

“We’re happy with him, he’s been in good form since Navan and it’s as good a time as any to run him.

“I just hope we get goodish ground. That would be a help.”

Despite disliking the heavy ground at Punchestown last time, Dylan Ross did well to run Lord Windermere to a head.

“Dylan Ross didn’t handle the ground the last day that well. It was a bit soft for him,” Meade went on.

“The forecast is not bad – the ground at the moment is yielding to soft – and we’d be happy with that for him.”

The Meade duo are taken on by three rivals – the Willie Mullins-trained Sous Les Cieux, Michael Hourigan’s Ballysteen and Cash And Go from Edward O’Grady’s stable.