NEWS ROUND-UP:BELEAGUERED GOLD Cup-winning jockey Sam Thomas is set to try his luck in Ireland this Sunday when he teams up with Noland in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown but another Cheltenham hero putting his credentials to the test will be the former champion chaser Newmill.
The 2006 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner was confirmed an intended starter in Sunday's Grade One highlight by John Murphy yesterday and the west Cork trainer is hoping that campaigning Newmill over longer distances than two miles could provoke some rejuvenation in the horse.
The 10-year-old's 2007-08 campaign fizzled out with disappointing runs at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown and Murphy believes that two miles may not now be far enough for Newmill.
"I don't know if he has the madness needed for two miles any more. They really do have to be cracked to go that fast and I think he might have got wiser," Murphy said yesterday.
"He appears to be in great shape and has been working very well. Last season didn't contain a lot of gloss for him, but we will start off at two and a half and see what happens.
"If he shows he stays then it would open up our options," he added.
Paul Nicholls has confirmed that Noland will take his chance in Sunday's Punchestown highlight and that Sam Thomas will be on board.
Thomas has lost out on the Tingle Creek mount on Master Minded with Tony McCoy taking his place, but the Welsh-born jockey has been entrusted with the mount on Noland who races in the One Man colours of John Hales.
Another major owner at the Paul Nicholls yard, Andy Stewart, yesterday backed Thomas for the future and said: "He is an outstanding jockey and he has my support and the support of everyone at team Ditcheat."
Noland will be joined by last year's Durkan winner The Listener on Sunday, but the home team looks like it could be reliant on War Of Attrition as other Irish hopes have other options to consider.
Noel Meade is pondering the Hilly Way Chase at Cork for Watson Lake while Edward O'Grady indicated yesterday he is favouring Saturday week's Boylesports Gold Cup at Cheltenham for Sky's The Limit.
"I would like to run him in the Boylesports. We were very happy with his first run of the season at Down Royal but then unfortunately he had to miss his next intended start at Cheltenham," O'Grady said.
"We will see how he works at the weekend. He seems to go on most types of ground."
However, last year's runner-up, Mansony, will definitely attempt to go one better for trainer Arthur Moore who won the Durkan twice with Native Upmanship (2000-02).
"We were very happy with his run at Navan when he was third to Watson Lake and we feel he has come on well from that. The Durkan has always been the target," Moore reported.
Noland and War Of Attrition continue to dominate ante-post betting on the Durkan but Paddy Power report significant support for Cane Brake who has been slashed from 66 to 1 to 25 to 1.
BETTING(Paddy Power): 15-8 Noland, 2 War Of Attrition, 9-2 The Listener, 10 Watson Lake and Mansony, 14 Snowy Morning and Schindlers Hunt, 20 One Cool Cookie and Conna Castle, 25 bar.
