Jayo to continue on the up

Punchestown: The Dublin GAA star Jason Sherlock was in Limerick during the Christmas festival to see the horse named after him make a winning debut over jumps and another good display by Jayo at Punchestown today will encourage more hopes that he might be a Cheltenham contender.

Jayo goes in the five-runner Grade Three Panda Juvenile Hurdle and for a horse already quoted as low as 10 to 1 for the Triumph, it will be disappointing if he can't maintain an unbeaten record. Jayo's opposition at Limerick was hardly earth-shattering but there was a lot to like about the way he went about beating them and his jumping was particularly impressive.

Last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup third Forget The Past has his first start of the season in the opening conditions hurdle and on the back of some good recent work, he will be expected to at least go close.