Ground concerns for Forpadydeplasterer

Even his name alone would guarantee Forpadydeplasterer plenty of attention on the run up to the Cheltenham festival but Ireland's leading hope for the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle may not even get the chance to run in the race if ground conditions turn against him.

The possibility of watering starting at Prestbury Park this weekend has already been discussed by the Cheltenham authorities and the chances of quick ground for the festival will cause some unease in the Forpadydeplasterer camp.

His Kerry-based trainer Tom Cooper insisted yesterday: "I would have no hesitation in pulling him out if there is any mention of firm in the ground description. Good, safe ground would be A1. But there's a good way to go yet."

Cooper gave his former star mare Total Enjoyment a pre-festival workout at Leopardstown's post racing gallops which will take place again this year on March 2nd.

However, he ruled out a similar route to Cheltenham for his latest high class performer who won the Grade One Deloitee Hurdle on his last start.

Leopardstown is the local track for most of Forpadydeplasterer's 10-member syndicate who named the horse after Paddy "The Plasterer" Reilly who was involved in Bertie Ahern's recent "dig-out" controversies.

His equine namesake is a 7 to 1 second favourite for the Ballymore race and Cooper reported: "He's in super form but I won't be taking him to the Leopardstown gallops. He only ran a few weeks ago, while the mare hadn't run since Christmas."

Another Irish fancy for the Ballymore is likely to be Dusty Sheehy's Grade One winner Trafford Lad, who also holds an entry in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at the festival.

"We are leaning more towards the Ballymore rather than the three-miler," Sheehy said yesterday.

"Everything is fine with the horse. He just hasn't run since Naas because we didn't want to give away a Grade One penalty. We did it once and we didn't want to do it again. We're very happy with him and hopefully it will stay that way."

The Gold Cup winning trainer Tom Taaffe is set to have three runners at the upcoming festival and the 2005 blue-riband winner Kicking King will lead the trio as he attempts to regain his crown.

Taaffe will also aim Glenfinn Captain at the Grand Annual and Finger Onthe Pulse has a choice of either the SunAlliance Chase or the Jewson Novices Chase.

The Straffan trainer reported yesterday: "Kicking King is fine and I'm putting his run at Gowran last weekend down to a bounce factor. He's a little sore behind but I'm sure he will be fine and we will give him a piece of work about eight days before which will be the deciding thing about the Gold Cup. I'm confident we will get there."

Sizing Europe's trainer Henry De Bromhead has indicated he will take the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle favourite away for a workout next week and confirmed that the hugely impressive AIG winner remains on track to try and complete a Leopardstown-Cheltenham double last achieved by Brave Inca two years ago.

Cork All Star is one of the leading Irish fancies for the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices Hurdle but trainer Jessica Harrington is concentrating on smartening the horse's jumping technique ahead of the festival.

"It'll be straight to the Supreme. His jumping is probably the thing but we will see if we can get it sorted out before we go to Cheltenham," Harrington said yesterday.

"You would imagine better ground would help and it looks a very open race."

The trip might be short of his best but today's Clonmel feature looks a good opportunity for King Johns Castle to end a run of near-misses, writes Brian O'Connor.

Arthur Moore's grey has proved expensive to follow and has finished runner-up in four of his last five starts, including a second to Mister Top Notch in the Leopardstown Chase.

Moore had been considering a run in last weekend's Haydock feature over three and a half miles but now has settled on the two mile conditions chase. The likes of Justpourit and Merdeka have also proved expensive to follow but King Johns Castle's rating gives him a clear chance of a fourth career victory.

Emotional Melody looks a hard one to beat in the opening mares maiden hurdle on the back of a second to Siege Of Ennis on her last start and Good Time Bob's experience could be crucial in the bumper.

A repeat of Surenaga's run behind Mister Watzisname at Tramore on New Year's Day would give Barry Geraghty's mount a big chance in the maiden hurdle.