Ned Kelly to prove his worth in real test

Ruby Walsh and Conor O'Dwyer return to action at Fairyhouse this weekend and the indications are that the mercurial Paul Carberry…

Ruby Walsh and Conor O'Dwyer return to action at Fairyhouse this weekend and the indications are that the mercurial Paul Carberry may not be far behind them.

Carberry's 1999 Grand National winning partner Bobbyjo runs in tomorrow's National Trial, having been balloted out of today's handicap hurdle, and the jockey's father, Tommy, had positive news yesterday.

"Paul is riding exercise now and it shouldn't be long before he is race riding again. It's great news as it means he should be able to ride Bobbyjo soon," Carberry senior said.

Carberry broke his left leg in a freak fall in October, but the surgical screws have been removed and a return to action for Cheltenham looks probable.

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Bobbyjo carries topweight in tomorrow's Trial, but the race will take a back seat in terms of Cheltenham significance to a couple of £35,000 contests.

Knife Edge, unbeaten in his last four and a widespread 6 to 1 second favourite for the Arkle Trophy behind Best Mate, looks to have a relatively straightforward task in the Grade Two Tied Cottage Novice Chase, but there will be real interest in the following INH Novice Hurdle where the Supreme Novices favourite Ned Kelly will face a reasonable challenge to his unbeaten record over flights.

The half brother to Nick Dundee has been beaten just once, in last year's Festival Bumper, and has done nothing wrong since. That was especially true at Leopardstown when he overcame a pedestrian pace and a strong field to win impressively, and there will be widespread disappointment if he can't do something similar here.

Grinkov, Bust Out and Penny Rich were stretched out behind the O'Grady runner at Christmas and the latter, after a fine third to Istabraq in the AIG, has another crack now. Also there is Glens Music and the talented Fnan so the race is a worthy exercise for Ned Kelly. But exercise before the real test is what it should be.

If the going turns out really heavy, and that was what Tommy Carberry was fearing yesterday, then Bobbyjo will have it all to do as he continues his Aintree preparation. In contrast, it will be the softer the better for No Problem and the Thyestes runner-up can at least be competitive in those circumstances in the Trial.

This is the time of year when even more attention than usual is paid to Willie Mullins bumper runners and the Co Carlow trainer has two in the last, and indications are that Summer In Siberia is a decent sort and should be up to winning this weekend.

The Mullins runner Adamant Approach has been disappointing over flights but maybe is worth one last chance in the opener, while the Pierse Hurdle faller Wild Arms has the course and distance credentials to go close in the handicap hurdle.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column