Meade eyes the skies ahead of Leopardstown
Noel Meade is keeping a watchful eye on the weather to see if his big Cheltenham hopes Harchibald and Watson Lake will able to work at Leopardstown on Sunday.
The Co Meath-based handler had hoped to send the pair to the track for a spin after racing, but the meeting at the Dublin track hinges on a 7.30am inspection tomorrow morning.
Harchibald, ante-post favourite for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle, is due to complete his preparations for the March 15 event this weekend, with Meade saying: “The plan was to take him to Leopardstown for a gallop but that may be called off due to waterlogging.
“The ground here, 40 miles north of Dublin, is pretty dry so we could work him on good ground here.”
Harchibald has topped the market for the Champion Hurdle since last autumn when he won three races on the bounce – including the “Fighting Fifth” at Newcastle and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on St Stephen's Day.
The meeting at Leopardstown is in doubt due to waterlogging caused by melting snow. Trainers as well as officials will be hoping the meeting goes ahead as many Irish handlers traditionally give their Cheltenham hopefuls a racecourse gallop after the last race ahead of the Festival.
Racecourse manager Tom Burke said: “We were quite surprised how much water was produced by the melting snow when we walked the course at 11am. It’s something we’ve not experienced before so close to a meeting.
“We held an inspection at 2pm and thought we’d have another look in the morning before declaration time. Hopefully some of the surface water will have soaked in by then."
