The top novice Justified has been committed to run in the opening race of the Cheltenham festival, the Letheby & Christopher Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
The "Dusty" Sheehy-trained star has an alternative entry in the longer SunAlliance Hurdle but Sheehy has come down in favour of the two-mile event and jockey Shay Barry will be back on board for the big day.
Barry missed out on Justified's Grade Two success at Punchestown at the end of the January, a performance that propelled him to the head of the Supreme market. However, he will take over from Mick Fitzgerald at the festival. "Mick came in because Shay was hurt that day. He was just lucky to get the spin," said Sheehy yesterday.
"The horse is in top shape. I couldn't be happier with him. He looks to have a realistic chance at Cheltenham because he is the ideal horse for the place. He gallops, travels and jumps. If we get some luck he will have every chance."
Justified is a general 7 to 1 market leader for the Supreme but is also generally quoted at 16 to 1 for the SunAlliance. Explaining the decision to go for the Supreme, Sheehy said: "I simply think a really true run race at two miles will be ideal for him and there is sure to be a true pace over there."
Justified will only be Sheehy's fourth runner at the Cheltenham festival but the Co Kilkenny trainer will also be significantly represented this time by the leading chaser Rathgar Beau.
"He has a choice of the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Daily Telegraph Chase and we haven't made our minds up yet which he will go for. A lot will depend on ground conditions so we will have to see what turns up," Sheehy added.
Mick Fitzgerald will team up with another top Irish novice hope at Cheltenham, however, as he has been confirmed as the jockey for Royal Paradise.
Fitzgerald won the Grade One Deloitte Hurdle on the Tom Foley-trained horse at Leopardstown 10 days ago and it looks almost certain that the partnership will be renewed in the SunAlliance rather than the Supreme.
"I'd be surprised if he doesn't go for the SunAlliance. It's the one I'm aiming for anyway," said Foley yesterday. "Mick said he will definitely be on our horse at Cheltenham. I was very happy with the win at Leopardstown and I'm thrilled with the way the horse has come out of it. He has come on an awful lot for it. It's amazing the way he has come out of each race this season better than when going into it."
Royal Paradise is a general 11 to 2 joint-second favourite for the SunAlliance, a race Foley won with the legendary Danoli in 1994.
A possible challenger to Royal Paradise in the SunAlliance could be Dermot Weld's Queen Astrid who as expected was one of 26 horses left in Sunday's Woodlands Park 100 Johnstown Novice Hurdle at Naas at yesterday's forfeit stage.
One horse that will miss the festival is Newmill but Thomas O'Leary will run the former Grade One winner in the Anglo-Irish Bank Nas Na Riogh Chase, a race that could also feature Ned Kelly and the PJ Moriarty runner-up Well Presented.
Another Johnstown Hurdle entry is Kill Devil Hill but Paul Nolan's charge will be out before that at Down Royal this afternoon in the two and a half miles conditions hurdle. It's the same distance that this potential chaser won his maiden over at Clonmel, a run that came on the back of a fine second to Washington Lad at Fairyhouse.
The 115-rated Heez A Wonder, runner-up to Kerryhead Windfarm on his last start, sets the standard here but Kill Devil Hill looks a progressive type. His chance wasn't hurt either by the Clonmel runner-up Teeming Rain winning at Punchestown yesterday.
Steve Mahon and owner James Gough have a good record at the track and the bumper performer Shoot Grouse could be the best of their pair in the opener.
Shiminnie got to within less than 10 lengths of the talented Akshar at Leopardstown over Christmas and may be the solution to the second maiden hurdle.
