Sous team hope for dry spell

Pique Sous
(Healy Racing Photos)

The grey finished third behind Champagne Fever in the Champion Bumper last year, but heavy ground has restricted him to just two starts over hurdles and an easy win on the all-weather at Dundalk since last August.

He will head straight to Cheltenham now, most likely for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, and Steve Massey, who helps run the Supreme Horse Racing Syndicate who own the gelding, hopes the rain eventually relents.

"He was always going to have a break through the mid-winter as he just can't act on soft ground, we found that out in the summer," said Massey of the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old.

"We're not worried about going there without a recent run over hurdles, Willie Mullins is a master of his trade - just look at what he does with Quevega each year.

"It probably helps that he has all those good horses to work them with, it's not like he has just one good horse.

"He bounced out of Dundalk in great form and it was great that Paul (Townend) was able to get him settled there as he can be a bit keen.

"All we want now is for it to dry up and to hear no talk of watering!"