Very Wood (right)© Photo Healy Racing
Bryan Cooper feels Cheltenham Festival winner Very Wood could be on the verge of bouncing back to form in the Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan on Sunday.
The Noel Meade-trained six-year-old claimed the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Prestbury Park last March and made an excellent start to his chasing career when scoring at Galway in late October.
He has been pulled up on his last couple of starts at Punchestown and Leopardstown respectively, but Cooper is in positive mood after riding Very Wood in a piece of work with a couple of stable companions recently.
"He has been pulled up the last twice, but when I rode him at home two weeks ago he worked great with Apache Stronghold and Texas Jack Both of them have ran really well since, so I'm hopeful of a big run," Cooper said in his Racing FX blog.
"We'll have a think about Cheltenham after the race."
Very Wood is one of two runners in the field for Cooper's retaining owners Gigginstown House Stud, the other being Sandra Hughes's recent Fairyhouse scorer Thunder And Roses.
Cooper added: "Thunder And Roses could be one for the Irish National."
Hughes also runs Navan winner Apache Jack, who was third behind Very Wood at Cheltenham last March.
Noble Emperor is a potentially exciting prospect for trainer Tony Martin and leading owner JP McManus judged on his runaway win at Fairyhouse on New Year's Day.
Martin said: "He's done all we've asked of him so far and he's got to go and step up in a better race now.
"We're happy with him at home and I don't think ground really matters to him. He's going back over three miles, which should be within his range."
Champion trainer Willie Mullins relies on Urano, while Michael Hourigan's The Crafty Butcher completes the six-runner field.
