Dice to roll out in the County Hurdle Paul Flynn reports his Galway Hurdle hero Moon Dice in good form and on course for a crack at the Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival next month. The seven-year-old gelding has been lightly-raced since enjoying his finest hour to-date in the Ballybrit feature last July. He coped well with a stone rise in the ratings to a mark of 144 when beaten just over three lengths behind Brampour in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham last November, and was found to be amiss when disappointing on his only subsequent start at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting. The son of Norwich, who likes to be ridden up with the pace, was soundly beaten behind Unaccompanied in the Istabraq Festival Hurdle at the south Co. Dublin track. The midlands trainer explained, “He was sick at Christmas but is in good form now, and the County Hurdle is the plan. “He ran a good race at Cheltenham in the Greatwood, and was probably a bit unlucky in running.”
