Gowran Unlikely for Won In The Dark

Won In The Dark is unlikely to take up his entry in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran on Sunday.

Sabrina Harty's stable star gave Sublimity a fright in the December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown but may head to the Champion Hurdle without another run.

Third in the Triumph Hurdle last year behind Celestial Halo, the good-ground lover is instead likely to have a gallop at Dundalk's all-weather track in preparation for the Cheltenham Festival.

"They have forecast a dry week so we gave him a speculative entry," said Harty.

"There is only a very small chance that he would go for it but after seeing the forecast, we thought we'd put him in - we'd be annoyed if it dried right up and he wasn't in.

"We are lucky that he is not a stuffy horse, he's very clear-winded so getting a run into him is not essential.

"He's fresh out of his mind at the moment so hopefully he'll stay right, it's tricky getting the balance right.

"We were talking to Dundalk (on Monday morning) and we've arranged to go there this weekend and give him a spin.

"Even on his first run back this year when he ran in the November Handicap he was staying on well at the end and he was quite fat that day.

"On a strict line through Sublimity, he certainly deserves his place in the Champion - he has a right to be there and it's very exciting."

The Edward O'Grady duo of Catch Me and Clopf, Jazz Messenger, Megans Joy and Ebaziyan are also entered in the Grade Two heat, which has attracted 10 possible runners.

Newmill is more likely to take his chance in the Trial Hurdle than in the Red Mills Chase on the same card.

Trainer John Murphy is keen to get a run into the 11-year-old, who was a late withdrawal from last month's Pierse Hurdle because he was coughing.

"He missed 10 days but he's fine now," said the County Cork trainer.

"If he runs, it's more likely to be the Hurdle because it's definitely not going to be his ground.

"We're desperate to get a run into him."