Limestone Lad set for return to Navan

RACING: Michael Bowe was a relieved man yesterday after the decision to transfer the Morgiana Hurdle from a washed out Punchestown to Navan tomorrow. Brian O'Connor reports.

The other scheduled Punchestown feature, the Grade Three novice chase, has been moved to tomorrow's other meeting at Wexford, making each an eight-race card.

Limestone Lad will be making yet another appearance at Navan but Bowe is not complaining as he continues the horse's build up to the Hatton's Grace in two week's time.

"I wouldn't say I'd have been in serious trouble if we couldn't run this weekend but it would have been guesswork as to the horse's fitness if we hadn't. I really need to get a run into him.

"I am delighted they moved the race. It would have been nice to go to Punchestown for a change of scenery but Navan has always been good to us," Bowe said.

A spokesman for Navan said there are no weather concerns and it is "all-systems go" for a card with more than its share of big names.

The Cheltenham bumper winner Pizarro starts over hurdles in the Grade three that trainer Edward O'Grady has won for the last two years, including with Over The Bar who later in the day goes in the Beginner's Chase.

The English-trained Behrajan tops the weights in the Troytown and trainer Henry Daly said: "Only Arctic Copper and Takagi are in the weights and Navan looks as good a place as any to start the season."

The Irish National winner The Bunny Boiler has his first start since Easter in the handicap hurdle that could end up falling to Silver Steel.

Snob Wells looks up to scoring in the transferred novice chase at Wexford and Squantum should appreciate the conditons in the maiden hurdle.

Martin Pipe, who recorded his 100th winner of the season when Iris Bleu landed the Thomas Pink Amateur Riders' Steeplechase at Cheltenham yesterday, runs Chicuelo in today's Grade Three Thomas Pink Gold Cup at the meeting. The six-year-old is a strong favourite and attracted more money yesterday after being well-supported since his win in the Tote Scoop6 Summer Plate at Market Rasen in July.