Plans remain fluid for Martin Pipe`s six possibles for the Thomas Pink Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.
The Nicholashayne trainer`s sextet includes Exit Swinger, backed down to 6-1 clear favourite from 7-1 with William Hill today, but final running plans probably won`t become clear until the champion trainer returns from Australia, where Far Cry was unplaced in the Foster`s Melbourne Cup earlier today.
A stable spokeswoman said: 'We are no further ahead with the Thomas Pink runners I am afraid, they are only entries at this stage.
'Mr Pipe will be back later this week.'
Jonjo O`Neill is holding fire on his plans for a jockey for Legal Right in Saturday`s Thomas Pink Gold Cup until his is certain Tony McCoy and Richard Johnson are unavailable.
The seven-year-old is not easy to train as he is prone to lameness, but O`Neill produced him fit and ready to win three of his four races last season - including under McCoy at Cheltenham in November and under Johnson when he won the Tripleprint Gold Cup at Prestbury Park in December.
Unfortunately he had another setback when being prepared for a crack at the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup but he is ready to return to the fray now and O`Neill said: 'Obviously I would like Tony or Richard to ride him.
'But it looks as if Tony will be riding one of Martin Pipe`s runners and Richard has been booked to ride Looks Like Trouble at Down Royal on Saturday.
'But I hear there is an inspection there tomorrow for the two-day meeting so Richard may become available. We will leave a decision as late as possible.'
