Wallace on course for Cheltenham again

Staker Wallace booked his ticket to Cheltenham with a fine runner-up effort at Naas on Sunday.

The Enda Bolger-trained gelding chased home Billaway in the Naas Hunters Chase for the second year running and will now return to Prestbury Park having been fourth in the 'Foxhunter' last year.

Staker Wallace had opened his account 'under rules' at Limerick in late December and is relatively lightly raced at the age of ten.

“Staker Wallace ran well at Naas and will certainly get an entry for Cheltenham,” said Bolger.

“He handles that ground well and at the moment the ground is soft at Cheltenham so he’s got his ticket now.

“He was second to Billaway at Naas last year as well but has had a better prep this year with two runs in point-to-points and now two runs on the track as well.

“He’s around a good while but hasn’t raced a lot. I thought he ran alright there last year when he was fourth in the Foxhunters.”

Stand Up And Fight, who won at Fairyhouse on his return before finishing fourth at Down Royal, is another leading hunter chase from the Limerick yard.

He has his sights set on Aintree in April and could run at Thurles later this month :-

“Stand Up And Fight will be aimed at Liverpool. He’s a nice ground horse and I think that track will bring the best out of him rather than Cheltenham.

“He might run in the hunter chase at Thurles (February 25th).”