Limestone for Naas

Shane McGovern will be reunited with Limestone Lad at Naas on Saturday when the James Bowe-trained star faces a likely clash with Youlneverwalkalone.

McGovern originally lost the ride to Barry Cash when Limestone Lad switched to fences at the start of the season but the horse will have his first start back over flights in the Bank of Ireland Hurdle over two and a half miles.

There he is set to meet last season's star novice, Youlneverwalkalone, who was a late defection from Sunday's AIG Europe Champion Hurdle, although the Christy Roche-trained runner does have a possible alternative engagement in Sandown's Agfa Hurdle on Saturday week.

"We have some good memories of Shane on the horse," said Michael Bowe yesterday before confirming a similar warm-up plan for the Cheltenham festival to last year when Limestone Lad just lost out on the Stayers Hurdle to Bacchanal.

"The horse is in good order, and although I expect our horse to benefit from the race, with Youlneverwalkalone in there too it will be great to have a bit of stiff opposition," Bowe said.

"It will be the same route as last year and we hope to go to the Boyne Hurdle at Navan before we sail across the water for another week's holidays!" he added.

McGovern was in the saddle when Limestone Lad became one of just three horses ever to beat the mighty Istabraq in a straight fight to the line, at Fairyhouse in December, 1999.

Aidan O'Brien yesterday reported Istabraq in A1 form following his dramatic fourth AIG success and repeated the possibility of an away trip for the horse as he continues his preparation for Cheltenham.

"There's no pressure to do anything and it might or might not be on a racecourse, but we probably will try and take him away before Cheltenham," O'Brien said. "We were happy with him before Sunday's race and everything was grand with him this morning too."

However, O'Brien's Champion Hurdle team might be one less than usual this year. Theatreworld, a treble holder himself with three Champion Hurdle runner-up placings, is thought unlikely to run in Gowran Park's Red Mills Trial Hurdle and could miss the Cheltenham festival altogether.

"He is okay, but I would say he probably won't make it to Gowran and he might not make it to Cheltenham either," said O'Brien, who hasn't ruled the Capel Cure Supreme Novices' Hurdle out for Kilcash Castle despite that horse's disappointing run on Sunday.

Kilcash Castle was found to be in respiratory distress after running fourth of five behind Big-And-Bold, but O'Brien reported: "There's not a bother on him. The ground was very bad and Charlie (Swan) said he was very green trying to make the running."

Gowran Park will find out today if they will have an English-trained runner for their £65,000 Cuisine de France Thyestes Chase feature on Thursday.

Luzcadou's trainer Micky Hammond will decide today between a trip to Kilkenny or to go for one of two chase entries at Ayr on Saturday.

"I'll have a look at the Ayr races, get an update on the ground, and talk it over with the owner. The horse is in good form and it wouldn't matter if the ground is heavy," Hammond said of Luzcadou who was a hurdle race winner at Newcastle before Christmas.