Ground is right for Roche's star novice

Christy Roche confirmed yesterday that his star novice, Youlneverwalkalone, will put his Cheltenham credentials on the line at Leopardstown on Sunday.

The Curragh trainer had been concerned about running the J P McManus owned six-year-old in testing conditions but he has received an upbeat ground bulletin from track officials and Youlneverwalkalone will take his chance in the Deloitte & Touche Novice Hurdle.

"Leopardstown phoned and told me they have good ground at the moment so everything looks okay," Roche said, while adding that the four-year-old Young American will take on Topacio in the Juvenile Hurdle, the opening race on Sunday.

Youlneverwalkalone is sure to attract the most attention, however, after he received rave reviews for his two hurdle starts so far. The last of those was Leopardstown over Christmas when he quickened off a slow pace to beat the smart Parkgate easily.

Youlneverwalkalone is currently 9 to 2 third favourite with Paddy Power bookmakers for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, behind the 7 to 2 favourite Stage Affair, but Roche has not decided whether to opt for that race or the longer SunAlliance Hurdle.

"We haven't given much thought to where he will run at Cheltenham and the weekend should tell us a lot more," Roche reported.

"Young American is a possible for the Triumph Hurdle but I would imagine he would only run in that if Aidan O'Brien's horse (Yeoman's Point) doesn't go for it. Paul Maloney will ride Young American on Sunday and Conor O'Dwyer will be on Youlneverwalkalone," he added.

Stage Affair may be the antepost favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle but he remains a 16 to 1 shot for the Champion Hurdle itself and Dermot Weld revealed yesterday that a fast surface at Cheltenham will probably see his novice take on Istabraq in the championship contest.

Space Trucker, a best priced 25 to 1 for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, will begin his build up to Cheltenham when carrying top weight of 12-2 in Sunday's two-mile handicap hurdle at Leopardstown.

Owner J P McManus has witnessed plenty of short-priced favourites carrying his colours to victory over the years, but yesterday at Clonmel prohibitive winning odds of 1/20 about Afarad was by far the shortest starting price returned in Ireland in recent years.

Former champion Charlie Swan had the relatively easy task of steering the Christy Roche-trained five-year-old to victory in the McCarthys Hotel Hurdle over two miles and he hardly moved a muscle in doing so aboard last month's disappointing Ladbroke favourite coming home hard held from Newhaven Lad.

"It's nice to have a winner any day. I thought he'd win the Ladbroke and was disappointed he finished only sixth. He'll step up in trip now and will probably run in a staying race at Ascot later this month."

Elsewhere on the card, Mouse Morris came away with a near 22 to 1 double sparked off with Nativetrial in the opener before championship leader Barry Geraghty notched up his 54th success of the current campaign on Fernando in the two and a half mile chase.

Paul Lenihan's Native Rosie, supported from 16 to 1 before racing, landed a wholesale gamble in the hands of Shay Barry when landing the spoils in the two and a half mile handicap hurdle.