Lyreen out to be a Legend for Hughes

Dessie Hughes is keen to see how Lyreen Legend copes with a sounder surface in tomorrow’s Coolmore National Hunt Sires Ask & Getaway Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

The five-year-old has won twice from five starts over timber and has run three terrific races in defeat, finishing placed in races won by Monksland, Boston Bob and Unaccompanied.

There are no horses of that calibre in this Grade Two contest, but Hughes admits there is a question mark about how the proven soft ground performer will handle faster conditions.

“It looks a good opportunity for him and a lot will depend on how he handles the ground,” said Hughes.

“He’s a consistent horse and has run well all season, but he’s been doing all his running on heavy ground.

“Hopefully he’ll handle it all right, he might even improve for running on better ground, but we won’t really know until we try it.

“He ran a decent enough race in the Land Rover Bumper at Fairyhouse last year, but that was very early in his career.”

Lord Windermere has done Jim Culloty proud this season, winning three races and finishing a creditable fourth in the Grade One Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Culloty said: “I’d be hopeful of a good show and the step up to two and a half miles should be in his favour.

“The ground at Fairyhouse is reported to be on the easy side of good and if that’s the case, it shouldn’t be problem.

“He wouldn’t want it quick and I wouldn’t run him if it was.

“This will be his last run of the season I’d say and we’ll put him away to go novice chasing next season. He’s schooled over fences already and we can look forward to going chasing with him.”

Champion trainer Willie Mullins has three runners in Earls Quarter, Laganbank and Turban, while Jessica Harrington runs Jenari and Maller Tree.

The Noel Meade-trained pair Ipsos Du Berlais and Texas Jack are other contenders.