Morris Festival bound

Rostropovich and Colonel Braxton encouraged hopes of a Cheltenham Festival challenge in March as they opened their jumping accounts at Naas yesterday.

Bought by trainer Mouse Morris out of the Aidan O'Brien stable for 180,000 guineas on behalf of a four-strong syndicate at the Newmarket Sales in October, Rostropovich drifted out in the betting to 6 to 1 for the Allen Foxe Estates Maiden Hurdle.

The punters who plunged on the Edward O'Grady-trained Suave Native got it wrong as Rostropovich battled on well in the hands of David Casey to beat Kadoun by half a length. The 4 to 5 favourite faded out of contention and was later found to be suffering from a respiratory infection.

"Rostropovich did well on that type of ground. He stuck to his task well and we will be looking at the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with a run at Fairyhouse in the meantime. He would love better ground," said Morris.

Colonel Braxton was an impressive winner of the Gowla Power-Pak Maiden Hurdle, beating the 2 to 1 favourite Doonaree by 13 lengths.

"He will come back here at the end of the month and we will be thinking about the Royal & SunAlliance although I would not be sure how he would handle fast ground," said winning trainer Dessie Hughes.

Risk Accessor is another possible for the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle after getting the better of Bob Justice by two lengths in the £35,000 Grade Three Woodlands Park 100 Slaney Novice Hurdle to initiate a double for Curragh trainer Christy Roche and champion owner J P McManus.

They followed up with Like-A-Butterfly, a runaway winner of the bumper on her debut in the hands of teenager Alan Crowe.

Young Kenny, an 11th hour withdrawal from the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on December 27th because of frost, is set to reappear in the Rocom Chase (Showcase Handicap) at Wetherby on Thursday.

The Martell Grand National, in which he uncharacteristically fell (at the 10th) last April, is again his prime target.