Festival Hall could be the Ballydoyle pathfinder to English three-year-old form in Saturday's Group Three Thresher Classic Trial at Sandown. Last year's Beresford Stakes winner is one of 10 horses left in the 10-furlong Derby trial, which has been won in the past by subsequent Derby heroes such as Troy (1979) and Shergar (1981.)
Festival Hall's trainer, Aidan O'Brien, is busy trying to sort out his 2,000 Guineas options but yesterday reported: "Festival Hall has been doing everything well through the winter and is pleasing us. We will decide for definite tomorrow but he is a possible."
Next week, O'Brien will have his usual small but select team for the Punchstown festival.
Istabraq is on course for the Shell Champion Hurdle, for which Theatreworld is another possible; while Le Coudray will bid for revenge on his Cheltenham conqueror, Anzum, in the Stayers' Hurdle. "We have a few bumper entries as well," said O'Brien.
Gold Cup-winning trainer Paul Nicholls will have his first Punchestown festival runner when Green Green Desert goes in Tuesday's BMW Chase.
"Green Green Desert is in good form after his win at Ayr last Saturday and Joe Tizzard rides," Nicholls said.
Among Green Green Desert's opponents will be last year's winner, Big Matt, and Direct Route, who landed the Tripleprint Novices Chase at last year's festival. An eight-race card at Clonmel gets under way at 2.00 this afternoon and for those trainers contesting the three flat races, it will be something of a relief not to see the monicker, A P O'Brien, next to any of the runners.
So far O'Brien has had 21 runners, with 12 winners producing a remarkable strike rate of 57 per cent. Toiling in the Ballydoyle wake in the trainer and jockey tables are Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen, and the latter can take his total to five with Its Time For A Win in the opening maiden.
Smullen takes the ride on Willie Mullins charge, who is up against other smart National Hunt performers trying to pick up a relatively easy prize. Daraheen Chief and Ballygowan Beauty are two such rivals, but Its Time For A Win, third to The Card King when odds on at Killarney in a flat race last July, who is preferred.
Sharazad, runner-up to Wire Man at Ballinrobe, with Wild Zing and Final Reminder in behind, will appreciate the extra furlong of the Nenagh Handicap; while Jamie Spencer can take the Mountain Handicap on the Wexford chase winner, Storm Gem.
