Meade confidence in Native grows

Noel Meade had more reason than usual to feel content after coming off second best in a Grade One event with Donnas Palm.

Meade also houses Go Native at his Tu Va stable and the seven-year-old is the only horse to beat Solwhit, winner of Sunday's Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown, in nearly a year.

While Meade was "very pleased" with Donnas Palm, who snatched the runner-up spot from Sublimity in the shadow of the post, it left him feeling even more confident about Go Native's Cheltenham chance, when he will also be trying to land a £1million bonus put up by wbx.com.

"Everything is going great with Go Native," said Meade.

"He's been on the easy list since Kempton but we are just beginning to step up his workload again now.

"He'll be back doing some strong canters this week for the first time and then we'll build it up from there.

"We might take him to Leopardstown for a gallop on February 28th after racing on the Sunday and leave it at that.

"I was very pleased with Donnas but I've got a better idea of where we stand now."