Racing News: Up to now Le Coudray's principal target all season had been the Aintree Grand National but the JP McManus-owned star looks likely to take in the Irish version at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday before that.
The heavy rain that swept over the country yesterday has turned the ground at Fairyhouse soft and such conditions are vital for the former top-flight hurdler who was a Grade One winner on the track in the Drinmore Chase as a novice.
"We're certainly thinking about it and the rain is no harm at all," said trainer Christy Roche yesterday.
Roche could also run Calladine in the Powers Gold Label-sponsored Easter highlight for which final declarations will take place on Friday.
Only 12 days separate the Irish and Aintree Nationals this year but the possibility of Le Coudray, who fell at Bechers second time around last season, taking in both has not been ruled out.
"He could run at Fairyhouse on his way to Liverpool. We'd like to get a race into him as he was brought to a standstill on his last start at Leopardstown," added Frank Berry, the racing manager to owner JP McManus, whose sole Irish National success to date was with Bit Of A Skite 22 years ago.
Berry also reported that the Michael O'Brien-trained Kadoun is another McManus contender for Fairyhouse while Like-A-Butterfly, who ran fifth in last week's SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham, has not been retired as initially indicated and will run instead in next Tuesday's Powers Gold Cup. "We're going to give her one more go," said Roche. "She has come out of the race well and seems to have improved a bit. Now that the rain has come we will let her take her chance."
One horse who will not be appearing at Fairyhouse over Easter, however, is last week's festival winner Kelami who had been touted as a possible traveller from Francois Doumen's yard at Chantilly near Paris.
Doumen is taking a different route with the horse, though, and said yesterday: "We will be following a possible bonus in the betfred Gold Cup at Sandown. He is not going to Ireland."
Over 15mms of rain had fallen on Fairyhouse by yesterday evening and the authorities there are now hoping that the weather will ease off ahead of the weekend.
"I would describe the ground as soft. Certainly it's yielding to soft at best but there are patches that are definitely soft," said the Fairyhouse manager Dick Sheil yesterday.
"The forecast is for us to get plenty more rain tonight but that Tuesday and Wednesday should be dry. Some rain is expected on Friday but overall the outlook isn't too bad," he added.
The 2003 winner, Timbera, has been retired after breaking down at Down Royal last week and the indications yesterday were that the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Keen Leader is unlikely to travel despite an encouraging run in the William Hill Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last week.
Beef Or Salmon will not take part in the National after scooping wrong in the aftermath of his disappointing run in the Gold Cup while there is also a doubt about Point Barrow even though he has been installed as a 10 to 1 ante-post favourite by Paddy Power.
Point Barrow was fifth when favourite for the four-mile National Hunt Chase at last week's festival and trainer Pat Hughes is concerned at his rating for next week's race. The handicap marks for the National were changed slightly to encourage class horses like Beef Or Salmon to run.
Before then there will be significant Irish interest in the Dubai World Cup meeting at Nad Al Sheba on Saturday where Aidan O'Brien is set to have his first runner in the UAE. Powerscourt is already in the Middle East ahead of a scheduled start in the Group One Sheema Classic. Kieren Fallon will ride.
Another Irish runner on the World Cup support card will Alexander Goldrun who will as usual be ridden by Kevin Manning in the Dubai Duty Free
Meanwhile, the Royal Ascot Racing Club, owners of Classic hopeful Motivator, are still keen to secure the services of Michael Kinane for their unbeaten colt in the UltimatePoker.com 2,000 Guineas on April 30th.
