RACING:TOM COOPER has confirmed the Arkle at Cheltenham will be Forpadydeplasterer's next start and the Co Kerry-based trainer is praying for decent ground at the festival.

Last Sunday’s PJ Moriarty runner-up had also been pencilled in for either the RSA Chase or the Jewson but he will now be prepared for the Arkle over two miles on first day of the festival.

“He is absolutely 100 per cent since Leopardstown,” Cooper reported yesterday. “He couldn’t be better. The ground was definitely too slow for him. He has been running well, but ideally he needs better ground. He will definitely go for the Arkle now.”

Forpadydeplasterer will be taking a drop in trip from last year’s festival effort when he finished fourth to Fiveforthree in the Ballymore Novices Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs.

Paul Nolan has stated that Alpha Ridge, as low as 8 to 1 for the Grade One Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at the festival, won’t run unless there is soft in the going description. “He has to have that ground in order to have a realistic chance,” Nolan said yesterday of his Galmoy Hurdle winner. “He’s a nice actioned horse but I really don’t know how he will handle better ground. He has paid his way this year and we don’t want to mess him up.”

A handful of Aintree Grand National entries could have their last preparations for Liverpool in Saturday’s Attheraces Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse, including last Sunday’s Hennessy third Chelsea Harbour.

His trainer Tom Mullins has reported the horse to be “50-50” for the weekend although he also has the option of waiting for a hurdle race just two weeks before the National itself.

Other Liverpool hopefuls include the Becher winner Black Apalachi, last year’s National third Snowy Morning and the Ted Walsh-trained Southern Vic.