Aidan O'Brien confirmed yesterday that his exciting French import Le Coudray is on course to make his Irish debut at Naas at the end of the month.
The horse, reportedly purchased for a figure close to £250,000 by J P McManus, has been at O'Brien's Ballydoyle base for almost two months and the trainer said yesterday: "We are hoping to run him at Naas on January 31st (Bank of Ireland Hurdle over two and a half miles.) He has been doing what we have been asking him to do and he is pleasing us."
Noel Meade will decide today who will ride Hill Society in Saturday's Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot but announced Cardinal Hill's next race as the INH Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on February 14th.
That will be the exciting novice's only race before Cheltenham and Meade said yesterday: "He is in the Deloitte and Touche at Leopardstown too, but the Punchestown race is the number one option at the moment."
Mouse Morris has decided to train Boss Doyle for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, changing his mind about ignoring Cheltenham in favour of the Irish Grand National.
"His last run (behind Dorans Pride in the Ericsson) was too bad to be true so I think he deserves a chance to go for Cheltenham," said Morris yesterday. "We had him looked over after Leopardstown and could find nothing radically wrong. In hindsight, carrying 11.7 into fourth behind Teeton Mill in the Hennessy probably took the edge off him. It was a bit of a slog in that ground and it must have left its mark."
He added: "But he is a fresh horse again now. We have been taking him down to the beach for a paddle to vary his programme and there's no reason to believe he is not the same old horse that he was." Boss Doyle is currently 40 to 1 for the Gold Cup.
Other Irish trained Gold Cup entries include the novice Nick Dundee and the former winner Imperial Call, although the latter, to be ridden in future by Ruby Walsh, has also been entered in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Philip Hide will climb aboard leading fancy Mandys Mantino in the £45,000 Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot on Saturday with the full backing of trainer Josh Gifford.
Hide came under fire from many racing professionals after his mount Glitter Isle was narrowly beaten by the Tony McCoy-ridden Eudipe in last weekend's Anthony Mildmay, Peter Cazalet Memorial Chase at Sandown.
Teeton Mill is set to try to emulate the legendary Golden Miller by going for glory in both the Grand National and Gold Cup this season.
