CHELTENHAM NEWS AND DUNDALK PREVIEW:MOSSBANK WILL be left among the entries for the Cheltenham Gold Cup at the next forfeit stage, but his trainer, Michael Hourigan, has confirmed that Thursday's Ryanair Chase is the target for the horse owned by Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary.
The Irish star is now a general 4 to 1 favourite for the first of the day three festival Grade One highlights, when he will have his first start since finishing runner-up to Denman in the Lexus Chase last Christmas.
That came on a soft surface at Leopardstown, but Hourigan had mixed feelings yesterday about the prospect of wet conditions for the Cheltenham area next week.
"I want it for some of my runners and not for others," acknowledged the Co Limerick trainer. "There's no doubt Mossbank is a better horse on better ground, but he's going whatever the conditions. In fairness, you never get it bottomless over there."
Hourigan added: "He will be left in both the Ryanair and the Gold Cup, but the Gold Cup is only a precaution in case something happens.
"You never know what can happen. He might fall at the first or something in the Ryanair. He's very well and in good form."
Hourigan, a festival winner in the 1995 Stayers with Dorans Pride, will also be represented at Cheltenham by Dancing Tornado (Pertemps), Spaceman (Coral Cup) and A New Story, who will tackle the Cross Country Chase.
"They're all well but you can never be confident about anything going there," he said. "My confidence has been shattered too many times to think too far ahead."
Dermot Weld, a Cheltenham festival winner with Rare Holiday in the 1990 Triumph, could have four runners next week at Prestbury Park. The legendary flat trainer will work his contenders this morning at the Curragh before finalising his team, although the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle hope Majestic Concorde is a probable starter, as is Prince Erik who has a choice of the Triumph or the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle.
"I want to see how Bobs Pride works before deciding on the Champion Hurdle," Weld said. "He will either run in the Champion or wait for the Irish Lincoln.
"I was satisfied with his run at Dundalk. He had been off a long time and he got to the front a furlong out before tiring.
"Endless Intrigue is a possible for the bumper," he added, "but he is only a four-year-old and it is a big ask. We will decide on all Cheltenham plans after they work."
Noel Meade is set to be double-handed in the Weatherbys Bumper with Corskeagh Royale, the intended mount of Nina Carberry, and Cottage Oaks, who will be ridden by her brother Paul.
Meade is also leaning towards running his Grade One winner Aitmatov in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle rather than Tuesday's Champion Hurdle, while the plan remains to supplement Afistfullofdollars into the Gold Cup field.
Henry De Bromhead has played down fears that Sizing Europe's jumping may be a concern ahead of Tuesday's Champion Hurdle.
The 2 to 1 favourite's trainer pointed to January's AIG at Leopardstown and said: "People say he jumps a bit high, which I suppose he does, but I couldn't see him losing too much ground upsides Hardy Eustace and Al Eile, two quick jumpers."
Weld's attention will switch from the Curragh this morning to Dundalk's all-weather meeting tonight for the second instalment of the flat season.
Last Friday's first night of the 2008 term saw Weld score twice and get placed once from just four runners. He sends four more to the floodlights now, and Knowing Wink looks the best of them in the opening maiden on the back of a Naas debut to the high-class Kitty Matcham.
The regally-bred Arizona John should relish the surface in the seven-furlong maiden, while Jim Bolger's pair of King Of Queens and Veidhleadoir also look worth examining.
Cosmo King is an interesting starter in the concluding handicap which will be his first flat start since 2004 when his mark was over a stone higher. Michael Halford's horse is a hurdles winner this winter and has a perfect draw in box one.
