Commanche Court is likely to have two prep races before bidding go one better than last year in the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Trainer Ted Walsh said yesterday, `He had a bit of a bug over Christmas but is over that now and he may start back in the Bank of Ireland Hurdle at Naas (January 25). I`d like to get a couple of races into him before the Gold Cup and, ideally, those will be about three weeks apart.`
Walsh`s other Gold Cup entry Rince Ri, who was blowing hard post-race after disappointing behind Beef Or Salmon in the Ericsson Chase, could run in the Pierse Leopardstown Handicap Chase at the Foxrock track on Sunday.
The Walsh-trained pair are among a modern-day record 49 entries for the Gold Cup, which includes seven other Irish contenders - Beef Or Salmon, Colonel Braxton, Florida Pearl, Harbour Pilot, Le Coudray, Macs Gildoran, Sackville.
