Native going for a million
by Conall Collier Updated: Wednesday, 24th February, 2010 4:49pm
Noel Meades' Go Native with work rider Darra Bourke on the gallops at Tu Va Stables, Castletown last week.
Castletown trainer Noel Meade will be hoping that his 2009 Cheltenham Festival winner Go Native can maintain his winning record at Prestbury Park when he returns to the track in three weeks time to bid for the £1,000,000 bonus if he can win the Champion Hurdle.
Go Native has been virtually ignored up to now despite winning the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park to qualify for the right to race for the attractive bonus.
With Nicky Henderson's Zaynar (1/14) failing to win at Kelso last Thursday and with reigning champion Punjabi struggling to get a run ahead of the Festival, it could be that the cards will stack up nicely for Go Native, but it will still be a mammoth achievement if Meade's horse can win the big race on the opening day, Tuesay, 16th March.
The Meath link to the Henderson horses is Drumree jockey Barry Geraghty.
The trainer is hoping that a two-mile hurdle race might be added to the card at Kempton next Saturday to enable Punjabi have a preparatory outing ahead of the Cheltenham Festival.
Punjabi was due to run at Wincanton on Saturday only for the meeting to be abandoned after a heavy overnight frost.
However, Meade has his own problems to deal with and at the moment, a jockey for the big race is just one of his headaches as Paul Carberry is currently on the sideline due to an ankle injury which he sustained in a fall last week.
Carberry did not ride Go Native in either of his last two races due to suspension and Davy Condon deputised, a feat he repeated at Fairyhouse on Saturday when he partnered Empire Theatre to victory in maiden hurdle.
Meade plans to give Go Native a workout at Leopardstown after racing next Sunday.
"We will probably take him to Leopardstown rather than Navan on Saturday to work as the ground will be better for him there," commented Meade.
"We worked Harchibald at Navan 10 days before he ran in the Champion Hurdle and he ended up pulling himself up on heavy ground."
Last year Go Native raced away from the field turning for home in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, but got tired on the run-in and held on to win by a neck from Medermit. "Paul murdered them turning in and Medermit got close, but we were in front too long," Meade added.
"If we get there in the same form this year we'll hold on to him longer and the quicker they go, the better it will be for him," added the Castletown man.
Geraghty was the man to follow at Ascot on Saturday where he completed a fantastic four-timer.
The Meath jockey recorded a treble for trainer Nicky Henderson and was also on the mark for Nicky Richards with the veteran grey stalwart Monet's Garden in the Ascot Chase.
Geraghty struck a rich vein for trainer Henderson who also had four winners, with Geraghty on board three of them.
Geraghty was on Finian's Rainbow to win the opening novice hurdle by three lengths, Burton Point followed up in the next in a novice chase.
Sprinter Sacre took the bumper in a driving finish when Geraghty held off the challenge of Ruby Walsh who completed a double on the day.
Meade could also be considering his options for the Aintree Grand National after the weights, which were released last week, gave his Casey Jones a hefty 11-3 for the gruelling marathon scheduled for Saturday, 10th April.
Meade indicated that Casey Jones is a likely runner at Liverpool and that he would have a run before that, possibly in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Friday, 19th March.
Heading the weights for Aintree are Albertas Run, Madison Du Berlais and Notre Pere (all 11-10).
Last year's 100/1 winner Mon Mome has 11-7 while the Dessie Hughes duo of Black Apalachi and Vic Venturi are both on 11-6. Other previous winners entered include 2008 victor Comply Or Die (11-5) and Gordon Elliott's 2007 champion Silver Birch (10- 5).
Other Irish-trained horses of note that were allotted a weight were Irish Invader (11-5), Siegemaster (11-3), One Cool Cookie (11-1), Backstage Ballyholland and Preists Leap (all 11-0).
Jimmy Mangan enjoyed National success with Monty's Pass in 2003 and he could run Conna Castle (10-9) and Whinstone Boy (10-4).
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