DESSIE HUGHES is hoping the current cold snap will release its grip before next weekend as he still hopes to take on Kauto Star in the King George VI Chase with Schindlers Hunt on St Stephen’s Day.
With both Cooldine and Hughes’s other high class chaser In Compliance staying at home for the Lexus at Leopardstown, Schindlers Hunt remains the only Irish possible for the King George.
Just four Irish-trained horses have ever won the Kempton highlight – Kicking King (2004-05), Florida Pearl (2001), Captain Christy (1974-75) and Arkle (1965) – and Schindlers Hunt is currently a 25 to 1 outsider for the race.
The current bad weather has introduced a note of uncertainty to running plans, however, and Hughes is determined to keep his options open.
“The intention is for Schindlers to run at Kempton but we don’t know what’s going to happen now with the weather. If there is a doubt about racing over there, then I would probably run him and In Compliance at Leopardstown instead. Usually there is a far better chance of racing over here,” the Curragh trainer said yesterday.
Hughes also confirmed the Paddy Power Chase is a likely target for Siegemaster but said that his former dual-Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace will bypass Leopardstown and instead aim for a first victory since November of 2008 at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve.
“There’s a race there for him that he won before (2005),” the trainer said of his veteran star.
“It will be a change for him – it’s not a Grade One!”
Another Irish trainer hoping that racing goes ahead at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day is Noel Meade who is preparing Go Native for the second leg of a possible £1 million triple crown in the Christmas Hurdle.
The million bonus is in place for any horse that lands the hat-trick of Fighting Fifth Hurdle, Christmas Hurdle and Champion Hurdle. Go Native was an impressive winner at Newcastle last month.
“His training is going very well and I’ve heard from Barney Clifford (Kempton clerk of course) that the going should be ideal,” Meade said.
“He told me it will be good to soft which will not be a problem for my lad. The better ground in England may partly explain why his two Grade One wins have across the Irish Sea. He has certainly gone the right way since the Fighting Fifth,” he added.
McStay takes over as Senior Steward from Wachman
NICK Wachman has stepped down at the end of his term as Senior Steward of the Turf Club and has been replaced by the former Curragh chairman John McStay, writes racing correspondent Brian O'Connor.
In a statement issued yesterday, McStay stressed the need for Irish racing to widen the tax base on betting in order for the industry to survive the current economic downturn.
"We face a challenging environment for all involved in the industry," he said.
"I am essentially an optimist as I look at the future of Irish racing, provided Government and the industry work together, through widening the scope of the betting tax base.
"This would provide a welcome revenue boost for the Government while at the same time ensuring much needed long-term funding for racing."
Roderick Ryan has been appointed Deputy Senior Steward of the regulatory body while other appointees include the Ballymacoll Stud manager Peter Reynolds as steward and the Rathbarry Stud boss Liam Cashman as steward of the INHSC.
