Sigma Lifestyle pleases Meade
Noel Meade maintained his recent good form at Punchestown on New Year's Eve.
Castletown trainer Noel Meade maintained his good form on the track when he landed the opening race at Punchestown on New Year's Eve with Sigma Lifestyle (4/1) which made amends for a disappointing run at Down Royal the previous weekend.
Once again Davy Condon deputised for the still suspended Paul Carberry and was always prominent. Sigma Lifestyle took the lead approaching the straight and kept on well for a half length win over the fast finishing Grab A Grand.
"I thought he would win at Down Royal, but Luke McNiff said he never travelled, that wasn't a problem today and jumped great, he stays really well. It was a bit risky running him so soon, but everything worked out well," stated the trainer.
Regarding Aran Concerto's run in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown last week, Meade reported that he would consider his options before deciding where to send the 2009 Powers Gold Cup winner for his next assignment.
Aran Concerto was pulled-up by Condon in the Lexus Chase after making a bad mistake in the back straight.
"He made a very bad mistake at the ditch, he just launched himself at it and I warned Davy that I didn't want him to fall again so rather than take a chance he pulled him up," said Meade.
Regarding the big-race winners from last week, Meade confirmed that Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdle winner Go Native remains on target for the £1,000,000 bonus on offer if he can win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next March.
Leopardstown winners Pandorama and Hollo Ladies also impressed the trainer with victories in a novice chase and novice hurdle respectively.
"Pandorama was fantastic, he's very tough and he probably beat a very good horse in Weapon's Amnesty, it was a good performance and Cheltenham remains the target," stated the trainer.
"We only have Hollo Ladies a short time, he won the second day he ran for us at Navan and is improving as he's going along and the novice hurdle at Leopardstown on 7th February remains the target, at the moment," he added.
Meade is also considering a longer trip for Muirhead after a disappointing run at Leopardstown last week when he finished fifth of the six runners in the December Festival Hurdle.
"We've been aiming very high with him because that's how good we thought he was, but maybe he needs to come down a grade. Maybe that's what we'll do," he suggested.
Nina Carberry may not have had any winners for Meade over the last week, but she was on the mark at Limerick last Tuesday when she partnered the Charlie Swan-trained Killary Bay to victory in a bumper.
Robbie Power made the long trip to Cork on Saturday worthwhile when he landed a hurdle race with Bostons Angel for trainer Jessica Harrington.
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