Super Mac bang on course for AIG
Jessica Harrington today issued an upbeat bulletin on early favourite Macs Joy ahead of Saturday's AIG (Europe) Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.
However, Harchibald’s participation in the race remains in the balance as trainer Noel Meade is concerned over the prospect of heavy conditions.
Some harsh weather conditions are predicted over the next couple of days with rain and wintery showers expected, raising the likelihood of testing ground.
However, Mrs Harrington is not worried about that for Macs Joy as the five-year-old ploughed through soft ground to land the Bewleys Hotels December Festival Hurdle last month.
She said: “He seems to have handled it (soft ground) well throughout his career, including when he won there at Christmas and it’s really not much of a worry for him.
“I see no reason why he won’t go through it again.”
Macs Joy is the 2-1 market leader with Paddy Power for Sunday’s contest as Harchibald is not a definite runner.
The Christmas Hurdle winner currently dominates the market for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle but connections are keen to avoid soft conditions with the six-year-old.
Heavy rain would almost certainly rule him out and Meade said today: “Anything up to soft would probably be all right but I definitely won’t run him if it is heavy.
“I shall leave him in the race tomorrow and his participation is entirely down to the workings of the weather.”
Tom Burke, racing manager at Leopardstown, reports the hurdle track to be yielding to soft with some sleet predicted for later today.
He said: “There’s the possibility of some sleet showers today but it’s quite dry at the moment.
“We could get some light snow showers tonight but nothing too serious with the prospect of more sleet tomorrow and some very cold weather.
“It’s due to get milder from Wednesday until Friday with the prospect of showers each day but with some dry weather in between.
“Saturday and Sunday looks like being drier at the moment with the chance of a light frost overnight.
“I can’t see the ground getting an awful lot softer than it is now but we will have to take every day as it comes.”
