RACING/GOWRAN PREVIEW:WITH JUST 24 days to Cheltenham, time is running out to earn festival tickets but five Grade Two contests in Ireland this weekend allow some horses a chance for a valuable late booking.

Rubi Light’s place in the Ryanair Chase has been long secure and today’s Red Mills Chase at Gowran should be simply confirmation that he is one of the leading Irish hopes for the highlight of day three of the festival.

The Red Mills was picked up by Rob Hennessy’s star en route to last year’s Ryanair, when he ran a blinder in third behind Alberta’s Run. That was enhanced by a maiden Grade One success in the John Durkan and though Rubi Light didn’t graduate to Gold Cup standard in the Lexus over Christmas, he ran an honourable second to Synchronised.

Hennessy though believes a return to two and a half miles will suit, and Rubi Light has at least 10lbs in hand of his four rivals on official ratings.

“He won it last year before going on to run a cracker in the Ryanair, so we thought we’d stick with the same type of plan. A bit of confidence going to Cheltenham would be good for him,” he said yesterday.

“We’re obviously really excited about going back to Cheltenham and you’re feeling his legs 10 times a day to make sure everything is all right. For a small yard like us, to have a good horse like him is great. Fingers crossed everything goes well and all roads lead to Cheltenham then,” Hennessy added.

Gowran’s other Grade Two features just half a dozen hopefuls in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle, a race famously won by Hardy Eustace in 2005, and one which looks dominated this time by Zaidpour, the sole Grade One winner in the race.

Willie Mullins’s star has entries in both the Champion and World Hurdle and the latter must be favourite considering his three wins this season have been between two and a half and three miles.

Zaidpour beat Voler La Vedette in the Galmoy at this track last month but the drop back to two miles brings a new element to proceedings. At short odds it could be dangerous to pile into Zaidpour at this trip and if Kalann can repeat his Down Royal second to The Real Article he could be a threat.

The Rubi Light team could enjoy a double this afternoon as Table Mountain may recoup losses in the handicap hurdle after finding Caheronaun too good for him at Fairyhouse recently when well backed.

Willie Mullins unveils another French import in the ex Aga-Khan owned Shamar in the four-year-old hurdle but the champion trainer will also be represented at Haydock where the Thyestes sixth Some Target lines up under David Casey in the three and a half mile Grand National Trial. There will also be Irish interest in the Grade Two hurdle over three miles at Haydock in the shape of Eamon O’Connell’s veteran Powerstation.