Fresh Fringe Primed For Festival Repeat

On The Fringe is primed for his assignment at Cheltenham next week according to trainer Enda Bolger.

The 12-year-old is aiming to win the Foxhunters Chase for a third consecutive time on Gold Cup Day and Bolger told The Irish Times: "Every day Jamie (Codd) rides him he gets more familiar with the horse and he had a smile on his face pulling up after they worked at Leopardstown (Sunday). The horse is as fresh as paint after that day out."

"He has actually had a better preparation this time. An Abscess in a foot held him up for most of January last season and it was a rush to get him to Leopardstown. This time he he nearly pinched the Leopardstown race against a very good and fitter horse in Foxrock."

"It was very encouraging and now we're just putting the final pieces of the jigsaw together with him. He's certainly in great form and gives no indication he isn't as good as ever."

On The Fringe has won at the three main National Hunt Festivals - Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown - in each of the last two seasons and is on track to bring up the treble-treble in the coming weeks.