RACING: Willie Mullin's appeal to the Turf Club against the demotion of Scolardy from first place at Leopardstown 16 days ago has been rejected.
Newhall, who finished runner -up to Scolardy in the Cashmans Juvenile Hurdle on Hennessy Gold Cup day, retains the race after the 90-minute appeal hearing at the Turf Club headquarters at the Curragh yesterday.
"We got a fair hearing. Everyone had their say. It's just the way it is," said Mullins afterwards.
The controversial demotion, which also resulted in Scolardy's rider Ruby Walsh receiving a one -day ban, had even resulted in one bookmaker, Cashmans, who sponsored the controversial race, betting on whether or not Scolardy would get the prize back in yesterday's appeal.
Both Newhall and Scolardy could meet again in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 14th.
Other festival news yesterday included an upbeat bulletin on the forgotten Irish novice, Ballyhampshire Boy, who is likely to take his chance in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle over two miles.
Ballyhampshire Boy ran up a sequence in the early part of the season, and was the subject of some big money offers, but has not been seen since running badly at Christmas.
"He had the virus then but I'm very happy with him now. He is in at Thurles on Thursday (Ballynonty Novice Hurdle) but is doubtful for that. The ground will probably be very testing and it's pretty close to Cheltenham," said Tallow, Co Waterford-based trainer Sean Aherne yesterday.
"We are leaning towards running him in the Supreme instead of the SunAlliance and I hope Barry Geraghty will be available to ride him," Aherne added.
Ballyhampshire Boy is a 16 to 1 shot with Paddy Power for both novice events and they also go the same price for the SunAlliance about the Dermot Weld-trained Direct Bearing.
The Weld horse has entries at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown over the weekend but is likely to take the former option over two and a half miles as a SunAlliance trial.
"Weather and ground permitting, he will go to Fairyhouse on Saturday for the two and a half mile race. He does want decent ground," said Weld yesterday.
The Curragh trainer also said Ansar remains a likely runner in the Champion Hurdle "if the ground at Cheltenham is good". Ansar flopped in the Red Mills Trial at Gowran on his last start but his trainer reported: "Ansar is very well at the moment and he will run in the Champion if the ground at Cheltenham is good."
Istabraq may have a racecourse gallop today, his trainer Aidan O'Brien said last night.
"We want to take his preparation a step further by getting a racecourse gallop into him. But it all depends on the weather and the ground," said the Tipperary trainer.
"Wherever he goes he'll do a lap of the track and perhaps jump a hurdle. Charlie Swan will ride him."
Istabraq has just had the one race this season, at Leopardstown in December when he narrowly defeated Bust Out.
O'Brien has resisted the temptation to give the horse a competitive outing before his bid to win the Cheltenham showpiece for a record fourth time.
Florida Pearl and Flagship Uberalles have been selected to represent Ireland and Britain respectively in Japan's Nakayama Grand Jump on April 13th.
