Bobbyjo, winner of the 1999 Martell Grand National, continued his build up to this year's race with a staying-on 13-length fourth behind Kings Valley over hurdles at Fairyhouse today.
Tommy Carberry's Aintree hero was ridden by his younger son Philip as older brother Paul is still detained in Navan hospital with back injuries following his fall out hunting on Friday.
Prominent to the third last of the Sutherland River Handicap Hurdle, Bobbyjo was unable to cope with the very testing conditions until his rider got him going again towards the finish as Kings Valley overcame a slip on landing at the final flight to land the spoils in the hands of Conor O'Dwyer.
'If the ground had been better, we would have been able to make more use of Bobbyjo,' said the trainer.
'I will enter him for a two miles, five furlongs handicap chase at Leopardstown next Sunday and decide later in the week if he goes there.
'In any case I plan to give him his final run before Aintree in a three-mile hurdle at Gowran Park on March 18.'
Carberry had news of his injured son's condition.
'He seems fine this morning and a doctor said he would be in hospital for just a couple more days so it's not too bad,' he remarked.
Paul has been stood down for a week following his hunting mishap just five days after escaping with bruising to his back in a fall at Navan a week ago.
Norman Williamson maintained his winning streak on his day trip from England as Change The Script proved a decisive winner of the Tom Dreaper Handicap Chase.
In-form Wexford trainer Paul Nolan may be tempted to allow Change The Script to take his chance in the William Hill National Hunt Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, as Williamson told him the horse felt as though he would be more effective on better ground.
Sheltering is a definite challenger for the Christie's Foxhunter Chase at the Festival after proving much too good for his six rivals in the Hurley River Hunters' Chase.
Philip Fenton waited until rounding the last bend before sending the Edward O'Grady-trained 1-4 chance clear and they enjoyed a 20-length success over Father Andy.
