Limestone Lad, the winner of seven races this season, will warm up for Cheltenham with a run at Navan on Sunday. With Aidan O'Brien's Le Coudray sidelined for the remainder of the season after meeting with a setback on Saturday, Limestone Lad is now the main Irish hope for the Bonusprint Stayers' Hurdle.

He will be having his 11th race of the season but Phyllis Bowe, wife of owner-trainer James Bowe, said yesterday: "Limestone Lad runs on Sunday in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan and after that we intend to go to Cheltenham.

"With all this rain around it looks as though Limestone Lad's chances of running a big race are increasing every day. We will only stay at home if the ground is going to be fast."

Limestone Lad is the only horse to beat Istabraq in the past two seasons, having got the better of the dual champion hurdler at Fairyhouse last November.

He finished only fourth behind the same horse in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown last month but bounced back to land his eighth win of the campaign in a conditions event at Naas last time out.

The eight-year-old is quoted at 4 to 1 for the Stayers' Hurdle by William Hill.

The Grand National winner Bobbyjo could also be in action at Navan On Sunday, weather permitting. Tommy Carberry has entered the 10-year-old in the Red Mills Trial Chase at Gowran on Saturday and the Nobber Handicap Chase at Navan. "We'll just have to have a look at the Gowran race," Carberry said. "He's in at Navan on Sunday as well. We'll wait and see what the ground is like - he wants good ground - but the way it is raining here at the moment it looks unlikely he'll run in either."

Bobbyjo, who reappeared over hurdles at Fairyhouse last month, could revert to the smaller obstacles.

"If he doesn't go at the weekend there are a couple of hurdle races I have in mind for him," said Carberry.

The trainer is satisfied so far with Bobbyjo's preparation for another tilt at the Aintree marathon. "He's grand - no problems," he said.

Peter Niven has delayed his return to the saddle after a "setback", he revealed yesterday.

The veteran rider has been on the sideline since he broke a bone in his neck at Sedgefield in early-December but had hoped to start riding out this week.

But he said yesterday morning: "I'm going for some more X-rays this week. I had hoped to be back riding this week but I've had a slight setback which has prompted me to go for some more pictures.

"I'll wait and see what the Xrays show before deciding what to do."

Niven is just 26 short of becoming only the sixth jump jockey to ride 1,000 career winners in Britain.