Cheltenham and Aintree options for Empire Trainer Colm Murphy is targeting the spring festivals with Empire Of Dirt following his big-race triumph at Leopardstown earlier this month. A faller in last season's Irish Grand National, the nine-year-old was a good winner of the valuable Leopardstown Handicap Chase on his latest outing and could be part of what is likely to be a formidable team for owners Gigginstown House Stud bound for Cheltenham in March. Murphy said: "He's in very good form and came out of Leopardstown bouncing. "I'm not 100 per cent certain where we'll go with him at this stage. "He'll get a few entries in Cheltenham - that and Aintree would look the obvious targets for him. "I'd say it's very unlikely he'll run before then (Cheltenham), with the way the ground is."
