Better ground the key for Latest Exhibition Paul Nolan reports Latest Exhibition on target for the Leopardstown Christmas Festival with connections hoping for some better ground conditions in the Neville Hotels Novice Chase. The Oscar gelding already has a Grade 1 victory at the south County Dublin venue on his CV having landed the Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle last season, and went agonisingly close to following up at the Cheltenham Festival when just denied by Monkfish in a thrilling finish to the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle. The seven-year-old made a successful start to his chasing career at Punchestown in October but found the heavy ground an issue there the following month when beaten by Pencilfulloflead in the Grade 2 Liam & Valerie Brennan Florida Pearl Novice Chase. “Latest Exhibition will run in the three miles Grade 1 (Neville Hotels Novice Chase) at Leopardstown, and hopefully nicer ground will bring out a better horse,” said the Enniscorthy trainer. “Of course we were disappointed the last day but we are blaming the ground. I couldn’t be happier with him since. “We probably ran him a bit too quick the last day after his beginners chase so maybe that was a factor as well. “He’s a horse that only does what he has to do. He’s not flashy but having said that we are hoping to see a different horse on not as extreme a ground at Christmas.” Nolan will also be represented in the valuable Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown with Fitzhenry and Discorama both entered in the three miles stamina test. “Fitzhenry will definitely run. He was disappointing over hurdles and again in the Troytown at Navan the last day. I can’t put my finger on why because he was consistent enough all last season and he seems the same horse at home. “Hopefully come Leopardstown he will give a good account of himself. “Valentina Lady is a nice filly and I was disappointed when she unseated her rider at Naas last time. She could go for a maiden but off her rating (116) I’d nearly rather go for a handicap. I think she’s off a fair mark.”
