Ballymore favourite Samcro likely to be kept to novice company at Leopardstown
Samcro has an entry in the BHP Irish Champion Hurdle - along with the likes of Faugheen and Buveur D'Air - but is expected to run instead in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at the inaugural Dublin Racing Festival.
GORDON ELLIOTT is unlikely to run his exciting prospect Samcro in the BHP Irish Champion Hurdle, despite handing him an entry to the feature race on the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival.
The unbeaten six-year-old is expected to be kept to novice company where he will instead run in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle on February 3.
"I was speaking to Gordon this morning and he said he was leaning towards this race (Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle) with Samcro," said Davy Condon, Elliott's assistant.
"He did a nice bit of work this morning over a mile and a half and he seems in really good form.
"He didn't run the last day because of a dirty scope, but he worked very well this morning and Shane McCann, who rides him everyday, was happy with him.
"He'll definitely stay to the novice route this season and he's going to try him over the two-six trip."
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Elliott will instead run Mick Jazz in the feature after he took advantage of Faugheen's poor run in the Ryanair Hurdle at Christmas.
"He came out of the race well. When Faugheen pulled up, it obviously left it wide open and left him and Willie's (Mullins) other horse (Cilaos Emery) in a battle - there wasn't much between them," said Condon.
"He's a good, genuine horse, tries his best, and you'd be hoping for the same result again if something else happened."
Buveur D'Air and Defi Du Seuil are possible opponents for Faugheen, although Nicky Henderson has indicated Sandown's Contenders Hurdle is a more likely target for the current Champion Hurdle winner.
There are 17 entries, including the likes of Melon and Yorkhill for Mullins, while Jessica Harrington is likely to run both Supasundae and Jezki, with the trainer hoping a run over two miles will sharpen Supasundae up for the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham.
"His main aim is the three-mile race at Cheltenham. He's a horse that loves good ground and I don't really want to bottom him out running over two and a half or three miles on heavy ground that he doesn't like, so we thought we'd bring him back to two miles here," she said.
Of Jezki, she added: "He'll most likely run here. He's not entered in the three-mile race at Cheltenham and will wait for Aintree and Punchestown, hopefully on better ground."
Footpad will almost certainly go off favourite in the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase after impressing on both of his starts over fences to date.
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Willie Mullins' unbeaten chaser is set to be joined by stablemate Demi Sang, who is among the 10 entries.
"Footpad is in great shape, and this race is marked out for him," said Mullins.
"Hopefully it doesn't come too soon for Demi Sang. Barry (Geraghty) really liked him in Naas.
"He asked him a hard question against a horse with a lot more experience. He pulled it out when he was asked after the last."
While Footpad has been making hay, Henry de Bromhead's Petit Mouchoir has been recuperating from a setback.
"It's not like you would have liked it to have unfolded, but that's the way it is. He's working towards this race and I'm happy with him at the moment," said De Bromhead.
"He seems good and worked well this morning."
Elliott is likely to run Tombstone, second in a Grade Two over Christmas.
"Probably Tombstone will end up in it. He's more or less a Grade Three horse, and could maybe pick up a Grade Two," said Condon.
The likes of Cracking Smart, Real Steel, Getabird, Next Destination and Warren Greatrex's Challow Hurdle runner-up Mulcahys Hill are all in the mix for the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle.