RACING: IT IS just over two weeks since First Lieutenant had to be pulled up with a bloody nose in a Grade One race at Fairyhouse, but his trainer Mouse Morris plans a speedy Christmas retrieval mission at Leopardstown.
Morris is aiming his Cheltenham festival hero at Wednesday week’s Grade One Topaz Fort Leney Novice Chase and is convinced the bloody nose in the Drinmore behind Bog Warrior was a one-off.
Initially, it was feared that First Lieutenant burst a blood vessel after jockey Davy Russell spotted blood coming from the horse’s nose. But later it was reported that it was a result of a bad mistake halfway through the race.
“I’ve looked at the tape a few times and he gave himself a fair bang to the head when he made that mistake. And I’m fully convinced it was that bang that caused the bleeding. I don’t believe he is a bleeder,” Morris said yesterday.
First Lieutenant drifted in ante-post betting for Cheltenham’s RSA Chase after that abortive Fairyhouse effort and is now a general 20-1 shot for the festival. However, his festival pedigree is proven after a thrilling Neptune victory last season.
Morris is formulating other big race plans for the lucrative holiday period that could see Kicking King’s brother Four Commanders run in the €190,000 Paddy Power Handicap Chase or travel to Limerick for the Grade Two Greenmount Novice Chase.
Baily Green is another that could have a Grade One target in the Racing Post Novice Chase on St Stephen’s Day.
“I believe he’s a horse that could be very good on good ground. I don’t think he can really handle very heavy going. But there’s such good prize money for that race I might let him take his chance,” Morris said.
Ground conditions will also be critical if China Rock is to make an emotional return to action in the Lexus Chase. The horse hasn’t been seen since being pulled up after running a blinder to the closing stages in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. China Rock picked up a serious leg injury in that race and received the same stem-cell treatment as Morris’s 2006 Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition.
“It’s fantastic just to have him back and even thinking about running,” said the trainer. “He wouldn’t want it very heavy but the plan at the moment is to head for the Lexus.”
China Rock is as low as 14-1 in some antepost lists for the Lexus.
Quito De La Roque has been installed a warm Lexus favourite by bookmakers after his successful Grade One return to action at Down Royal last month.
His trainer Colm Murphy also plans to send Big Zeb to the Dial-A-Bet Chase next week and his star mare Voler La Vedette has a choice of Leopardstown engagements after breaking her Grade One duck in the Hatton’s Grace.
