Meade happy to wait for Cheltenham with Respect

Noel Meade is hoping his decision to bypass the Unibet Irish Gold Cup with Road To Respect will pay dividends at Cheltenham in March.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned seven-year-old won the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate at last year's Festival before claiming the scalp of Yorkhill in the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.

He made a successful start to the current campaign at Punchestown in October before being narrowly denied by Outlander at Down Royal, but bounced back from that defeat to clinch the Leopardstown Christmas Chase over the festive period.

Connections considered a return to the Foxrock venue for the main event on day two of the inaugural Dublin Racing Festival this weekend, but he will instead head straight for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup, for which he is a best-priced 12-1.

Meade told At The Races: "We had a chat about it on Tuesday morning and it was easy enough to make the decision when we knew the ground was going to be testing enough.

"It was going to be a hard race as well and myself and Michael and Eddie (O'Leary) were all keen that he goes to Cheltenham fresh and well.

"He is well in himself at the moment and he does run well fresh, so fingers crossed we get him there in one piece and have him fresh and well."