A three-week gap between races is normal for most horses but in Limestone Lad's case it's apparently close to idleness.
After comfortably beating Dorans Pride at Naas, Limestone Lad's trainer bemoaned the lack of opportunities for his stable star, but the horse returns tomorrow for the Boyne Hurdle at Navan and should win again on route to the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Over an extra half mile, the back-to-form Gold Cup hope Dorans Pride could very easily give Limestone Lad a much stiffer race this time, but the favourite won with any amount in hand on the last occasion they met and so is impossible to oppose.
The nap, however, goes to a much younger Cheltenham candidate, in the shape of Edward O'Grady's Triumph Hurdle hope, Wild Arms, in the Supporters Hurdle.
The former French horse trotted up on his jumping debut at Clonmel but afterwards finished well behind Calladine at Leopardstown over Christmas. Wild Arms was found to be lame, however, and if he is as good as his reputation suggests, then he must go close tomorrow. Norman Williamson rates the horse highly, flies over for the ride, and with Francines-Boy in opposition, Wild Arms could be a reasonable price.
Arctic Copper, owned by a syndicate which includes the Minister for Foreign Affairs Brian Cowen and the former PD leader Des O'Malley, looks the one for the maiden hurdle; while Lord Dal is a speculative choice in the competitive-looking handicap chase.
Mark Madden takes a valuable 5lb off Executive Ways's back in the handicap hurdle and that could swing things the way of Dermot Hogan's charge.
