French Ballerina, brilliant winner of Cheltenham's Supreme Novice Hurdle, is set to start a warm order for Tuesday's Country Pride Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.
Ten horses remained in the £40,000 race at yesterday's forfeit stage including the Supreme Novices runner-up His Song and the Jameson Gold Cup winner Unarmed.
However French Ballerina's trainer Pat Flynn yesterday reported: "She is in terrific form. If anything she has improved since Cheltenham. I'm not worried about the ground, and Graham Bradley will again ride."
An interesting acceptor is the enigmatic Dr Massini who once again refused to race at Listowel last weekend. The one time Epsom Derby favourite has never run over hurdles but is described by trainer Aidan O'Brien as a "natural hurdler."
Ten have also been left in the £50,000 BMW Chase with Klairon Davis topping the weights on 12 stone. John Fowler's Aintree winner Opera Hat is next in the handicap and four British-trained entries are headed by Edredon Bleu, winner of Cheltenham's Grand Annual.
Heavy rain yesterday made Sandown's five-furlong course "just about unraceable" according to clerk of the course Andrew Cooper. The two-day Whitbread fixture, due to start tomorrow, could take place without any races over the minimum trip.
