Horse Racing: Back In Front remains Barry Geraghty's most likely mount in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle despite the recent hiccup in his Cheltenham preparation.
The former festival winner is reported "normal" again after a scare over an irregular heartbeat resulted in a short visit to the Veterinary Hospital at UCD.
Earlier in the season, Geraghty committed himself to the Edward O'Grady-trained star despite also being the usual rider of another Champion Hurdle candidate, Spirit Leader.
Now Back In Front (10 to 1) and Spirit Leader (12 to 1) are the shortest priced Irish-trained horses in the ante-post market for the championship and although no final decisions have been taken, Geraghty is likely to remain loyal to O'Grady's horse.
"There's a long way to go yet and things don't always work out to plan but, all being well, it looks like I will ride him," the season's leading rider said. "He is a spring horse and hopefully will be able to prove his well being."
Edward O'Grady confirmed Back In Front to be back on track for Cheltenham and said: "It would be nice if Barry was on him and I would expect him to be available."
That would leave the coveted ride on Spirit Leader up for grabs but her trainer Jessica Harrington is in no rush to book anyone yet.
"I'm going to sit in the long grass and see what turns up," she said yesterday. "My first choice would be Barry Geraghty and my second choice would be Mick Fitzgerald but I don't know who will end up riding her. There is still a month to go."
Fitzgerald, currently on the sidelines with a fractured arm, partnered Spirit Leader on her first start of this season in the Bula Hurdle while David Casey was on board in the Bewley's Hotel Hurdle at Christmas. Geraghty, who rode Spirit Leader to win the County Hurdle, rode the mare in the AIG behind Foreman last month.
Arthur Moore has confirmed that Native Upmanship will have a final prep for Cheltenham's Queen Mother Champion Chase in the Paddy & Helen Cox Memorial Newlands Chase at Naas on Sunday.
"He was always going to run in this race and then we will have another crack at the Champion Chase. I'm very happy with him since he won at Thurles and he seems in very good form," Moore said.
At Down Royal today Michael Halford gives Mr McAuley a second racecourse start in the bumper and the six-year-old is taken to come out on top in quite a hot little race.
Stuck at the back of the field on his Leopardstown debut, Mr McAuley was hardly suited by a slow pace and ultimately did well to wind up second to the Noel Chance-trained Supreme Leisure.
Off a better pace today, he can get the better of Clair de Lune who represents the Thurles form of festival hope Major Vernon.
Willie Mullins can continue his recent good form with Quel Doun who could have got even closer to Power Elite in a graded race at Leopardstown on Hennessy day only for making a mistake at the last flight. The ex-John Oxx horse Akhtari and Amid The Chaos rate as the dangers.
The point-to-point winner Coast To Coast will be a different proposition in the second maiden hurdle compared to his bumper sixth to Major Vernon at Thurles.
