The champion jockey Charlie Swan will depend on Vivo to give him a first Ladbroke Hurdle at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Swan rode the JP McManus owned grey, well backed this week, to win at Leopardstown over Christmas and was confirmed as Vivo's rider by trainer Christy Roche yesterday. Swan's previous best Ladbroke finish was when runner-up on Atteses to Redundant Pal in 1989.

Some other riding arrangements have yet to be finalised but Norman Williamson is understood to be on standby for Impulsive Dream. Ruby Walsh is likely to ride Palette in the race, although his father Ted's Total Success is also a runner. The chances of Saturday's meting going ahead have improved, with a spokesman for Leopardstown yesterday describing himself as "optimistic". There will be a critical 4.00 inspection this afternoon but course official Tom Burke said yesterday: "I'm certainly more optimistic now. A lot depends on what happens tonight because there is rain forecast."

Showers are forecast for today, with frost expected on Friday night. That isn't a worry at the moment, though, and the Leopardstown executive were discussing contingency plans yesterday. "We are teasing out our options. Those options are limited but there are a few. At the moment, transferring the meeting to another racecourse is not being contemplated and I would describe that happening as unlikely," Burke added.

The top chaser, Merry Gale, is likely to be retired. Trainer Jim Dreaper was disappointed with the gelding's last race at Leopardstown, and said: "I hope he will now be retired. He has done wonderfully well for us with all the difficulties he has had and I would hate to see him running like he did the last time."

Merry Gale won 17 of his 46 starts and earned almost £300,000.