Don Poli© Photo Healy Racing
Gigginstown House Stud have begun finalising running plans for next week's Cheltenham Festival and have confirmed crack novice Don Poli an intended runner in Wednesday's RSA Chase.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old, an impressive winner of the Topaz Novice Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, had also been under consideration for the four-mile Toby Balding National Hunt Chase on Tuesday, but will instead shoot for Grade One glory the following day.
Noel Meade's Very Wood is also set to take in the same race, but Gigginstown will still be represented in the longer event.
Gigginstown racing manager Eddie O'Leary said: " After consultation with Willie and Noel Meade, the plan is for Don Poli and Very Wood to run in the RSA Chase.
"Wounded Warrior and Thunder And Roses will be our two runners in the four-miler, Valseur Lido will go for the JLT (Novices' Chase) and Clarcam goes for the Arkle.
"Those are the plans as we stand, taking into account the ground and everything else, but it's not absolutely definite. If the ground were to change, things could change, but those are the running plans as we speak."
O'Leary also confirmed plans for the team's exciting clutch of novice hurdlers, with leading Neptune contender Outlander taking top billing.
"Outlander will run in the Neptune, probably joined by Mckinley " said O'Leary.
"Tell Us More will go for the Supreme. Willie is happy with him.
"No More Heroes runs in the Albert Bartlett and we could also run Milsean in the same race."
O'Leary also revealed Tony Martin's Savello winner of last year's Grand Annual and in contention for a number of handicaps at this year's Festival, will instead take on the best in the two-mile division in Wednesday's Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.
