BRIAN O'CONNOR
BARRY GERAGHTY has a mouth-watering book of rides at Cheltenham next week, but that isn't stopping the former champion jockey from getting busy at Navan tomorrow where he can help Jack The Bus catch the Irish weekend feature.
Twenty line up for the €48,500 Irish Stallion Farms Novice Chase, and Geraghty's presence on board Jack The Bus could be a tip in itself.
On the face of it, Peter Casey's 10-year-old hardly appears the safest conveyance for a man looking forward to Punjabi, Punchestowns and the rest of Nicky Henderson's powerful festival squad next week.
Jack The Bus fell once and unseated his rider twice in his first four starts over fences. But when presented with his first handicap task, he proved up to the job of beating Tooman Lane at Naas a week ago. The lightly-raced gelding is 7lb higher in the ratings for that victory but still has a nice racing weight and should relish the hike in distance.
Geraghty is also on Taravada for Jessica Harrington in the Beginners Chase, and the drop in class from a Thurles Grade Two, when a distant third to Kempes, should ensure this one has a leading shout.
Sharekan is 20lb higher for a pair of wins at Fairyhouse but could still have enough in hand to land the handicap hurdle, while Baby Be Mine can make his first start over flights since August a winning one in the two-and-a-half- mile maiden hurdle.
A stamina test is right up Quito De La Roque's street, and that's what Colm Murphy's progressive six-year-old gets in the novice hurdle.
The feature of Limerick's Sunday card is the Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase in which Tally Em Up may secure another Grade Three prize, but there will also be plenty of interest in the Listed mares novice hurdle.
Morning Supreme was quietly fancied by many to do well at Cheltenham, but the wide-margin Cork winner appears here instead in what will be far from an easy task against For Bill.
Owned by former Kerry GAA selector Donie Sheahan, For Bill is unbeaten in five track starts and two point-to-points and still looks a very progressive type.
Ruby Walsh is in action at Limerick where he can score on Glenlo Abbey, while Lios A Choill, who had been engaged in the Cheltenham Bumper, can make the most of an easy opportunity in the last.
THE EDWARD O'Grady-trained Capellanus - who was as low as 8 to 1 third favourite for the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham - will miss his festival target due to a setback.
"He has had a setback and he won't be going to Cheltenham," said O'Grady.
The ex-Andre Fabre-trained four-year-old races in the colours of Patrick Wilmott, who also has the Champion Hurdle outsider Jumbo Rio with O'Grady, and won the third of his three starts when successful at Gowran last month. That leaves Ireland's most successful Cheltenham festival trainer with a team of six for next week, headed by the Triumph Hurdle favourite Alaivan and Tranquil Sea, who is among 18 left in the Thursday feature, the Ryanair Chase.
Willie Mullins has expressed his confidence in Quevega's chances of a repeat victory in Tuesday's David Nicholson Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham.
"The thrust of our festival challenge will, I suppose, revolve around Quevega in the David Nicholson and Cooldine in the Gold Cup, as well as our various novices," he said. "I have been delighted with the way Quevega has answered every question asked of her, and the fact she hasn't run since May doesn't concern me."
Point Of Light ran fourth to Capellanus on his jumping debut at Gowran and looks one worth siding with in the opening hurdle at Limerick today, while Davy Russell should also fancy his chances on Liss Na Tintri in the mares maiden.
The Henry de Bromhead team can gear up for Sizing Europe's attempt on Tuesday's Arkle with a win for Romanesco in the other maiden on the Limerick card.
