Central House to gain compensation

Racing: Central House might have been one of the unluckiest losers of the season over Christmas but at least some compensation looks to be waiting at Fairyhouse tomorrow where the Dessie Hughes-trained star can score back-to-back wins in the Normans Grove Chase.

Roger Loughran's premature celebrations when looking to have a Grade One pot in safe keeping at Leopardstown means that Central House's profile got a huge if unwanted boost.

However, the fact remains that the nine-year-old remains in the form of his life and tomorrow again teams up with Paul Carberry who won the Grade Two feature on him last year.

The main threat in the five-runner field looks to be Fota Island who finished ahead of Central House at Leopardstown but is 5lb better in this time. Against that soft ground will definitely be in Central House's favour and Hughes gave an upbeat report yesterday.

"We're very happy with the horse. He's in good form and it's fair to say he would have won the last day," the trainer said. "We have to give Fota Island 5lb which will not be easy and he will also be without Roger who gets on so well with him.

"But Paul knows him and has won on him before."

Central House is currently 8 to 1 for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham but Hughes's theory that he might currently be the best of the Irish two-milers can get some more back-up tomorrow.

Not many chasing newcomers run into a horse like Nickname on their fencing debuts but that was Our Ben's unhappy lot at Leopardstown over Christmas.

There will hardly be anything of that calibre in the Beginners Chase although it is a worry that Our Ben has put in a number of poor performances around Fairyhouse in the past. A big field, however, might negate that factor.

His jockey, Ruby Walsh, also looks an eye-catching booking for the Jim Dreaper-trained Retrievethelegend in the handicap hurdle while Hard Winter should come on for a third to Dun Doire over the course and distance of the handicap chase last time out.

Down at Cork the star attraction will be in the maiden hurdle where Tommy Stack gives his high-class flat horse Tolpuddle a first jumping start. The former Lincolnshire winner is renowned as a mudlark and competed at Group One level in France last year. A competent round of jumping should see him home in front.