Brief rest for Limestone Lad

Giant-Killer Limestone Lad could return to action in a fortnight's time.

But a return clash at Cheltenham with dual champion hurdler Istabraq, the 1 to 7 favourite he beat by five and a half lengths at Fairyhouse on Sunday, is looking unlikely as it is thought the Stayers' Hurdle "would suit him better".

Owner-trainer James Bowe is eyeing a two-and-a-half-mile conditions hurdle at Navan this month for the seven-year-old.

But son Michael, who does all the work with the horse at his father's Thurles stable, said yesterday: "Frankly, I've never had a plan with this horse.

"We don't normally decide where he's going until about a week before.

"We were thinking about sending him over fences but I have seen so many horses not in the same league as he is get injured when they've been switched to chasing that I was a bit worried.

"I'm not ruling out sending him chasing this season but I'm not ruling it in either.

"We'll keep him to hurdles for the time being and he will be entered in one or both the Stayers' Hurdle or the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. At the moment I'd say that the Stayers' Hurdle would suit him better.

"But even after Sunday I want to be realistic. I don't want to get carried away. I want to leave my options open."

Limestone Lad has been given a clean bill of health after Sunday's race. "He hasn't take his head out of the feed-box since Sunday," Bowe jnr said.

"When we came home after the race it was still daylight and I let him out in the field for half an hour. He was out there again yesterday and he's out again this morning. You'd never know he'd had a race at all."

Early favourite Alexander Banquet could miss the £125,000 Paddy Power Handicap Chase, Willie Mullins warned yesterday.

The smart novice chaser tops the sponsor's opening betting on the December 27th, but his trainer said: "I don't want to give away a lot of weight and Alexander Banquet would be set to carry 11 st. 11 lb. in the Paddy Power.

"It is possible that Alexander Banquet will run in one of the two novice chases at the Leopardstown meeting and it's also possible that he will miss the Christmas meeting altogether, as he did last year.

"I will discuss these matters with the owners over the next few weeks and it could be that Alexander Banquet won't reappear until late January or February."

Niki Dee heads the weights for the Paddy Power but his trainer, Peter Beaumont, will not decide until nearer the day whether the gelding will travel over from England for the race.

He said yesterday: "If you are not entered, you can't suddenly decide to go; and the owners are keen, if everything is all right, so we will have so see. It is a nice sort of race to go for and the three miles will suit him.

"It is a 0-140 race, so I am not surprised he has got top weight, and if we go we will probably fly him over."

But Niki Dee has a more immediate target, in the ATS Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Saturday.

Beaumont added: "He seems in nice form this morning and if the ground is right he will go there - he does not want too much cut but it was too fast for him last time at Ascot."