TRAINER Noel Meade is keen to step classy chaser Realt Dubh up to 3m1f in trip for the Punchestown Gold Cup on April 25.
Backed by thetote.com, the Grade 1 attracted 32 entries on Thursday and Realt Dubh could face British raiders Riverside Theatre and Medermit - first and third in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham last month - as well Hennessy Gold Cup winner Quel Esprit, who missed the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
"I think Realt Dubh will run in the Punchestown Gold Cup," said Meade. "I don't know if the trip will bring out improvement because last year when he got beat in the Drinmore Novice Chase I worried that he didn't get two and a half miles, but then he won the Powers Gold Cup over two and a half.
"I just think two miles is too short for him and there is no two-and-a-half-mile race at Punchestown so the three-mile and one-furlong race is the one he will go for. That's what the plan is at the moment anyway. But if it was really heavy ground he would probably go for the ****.com Champion Chase over two miles at Punchestown."
That race - scheduled to take place a day earlier than the Gold Cup - could produce another clash between Champion Chase one-two Finian's Rainbow and Sizing Europe.
Henry de Bromhead, who trains Sizing Europe, said: "He seems really well after Cheltenham and is in good order. Although things didn't pan out for him at Cheltenham, I thought he ran a blinder."
The hugely exciting Sir Des Champs could also be in action on the Tuesday. He is one of 24 engaged in the Growise Champion Novice Chase.
Noel has clearly been reading my thread should have happened a long time ago though
TRAINER Noel Meade is keen to step classy chaser Realt Dubh up to 3m1f in trip for the Punchestown Gold Cup on April 25.Backed by thetote.com, the Grade 1 attracted 32 entries on Thursday and Realt Dubh could face British raiders Riverside Theatre an
maybe if he was in the yard in the mornings he mite know wats going on instead of waking up in some young ones bed in dublin,gillian had a lucky escape
maybe if he was in the yard in the mornings he mite know wats going on instead of waking up in some young ones bed in dublin,gillian had a lucky escape
misslimerick85 06 Apr 12 21:52 maybe if he was in the yard in the mornings he mite know wats going on instead of waking up in some young ones bed in dublin,gillian had a lucky escape
good on Noel if true , jealousy will get you nowhere
misslimerick85 06 Apr 12 21:52 maybe if he was in the yard in the mornings he mite know wats going on instead of waking up in some young ones bed in dublin,gillian had a lucky escapegood on Noel if true , jealousy will get you nowhere