JEFFERSON WATCHING WEATHER

Malcolm Jefferson is keeping his fingers crossed the weather will not spoil plans this week for two of the most talented horses in his yard.

He wants to run exciting novice Dibea Times in the Millhouse Hospitality Hurdle at Kelso on Thursday.

While Tullymurry Toff is earmarked for the Tote Scoop6 Sandown Hurdle on Saturday.

Dibea Times, winner of two races since joining Jefferson, is entered for both the Smurfit Champion Hurdle and Gerrard Supreme Novices` Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

'Make no mistake Dibea Times is a very good horse but I`m certainly not going to think about Cheltenham at the moment,' said the trainer.

'But as long as the meeting is on he will run at Kelso on Thursday. He`s in the Rossington Main Hurdle at Wetherby but it`s his owner`s daughter`s 21st birthday that day and he won`t go there.'

Tullymurry Toff also has an alternative target on Saturday in Uttoxeter`s Singer & Friedlander Chase.

But Jefferson said: 'It could be that theground will be heavy at Uttoxeter and he might not get home over the three miles four furlongs.

'He wasn`t suited by the gluey ground when he ran in the race last year.'

Tullymurry Toff is more likely to go for the Sandown race which he won four years ago.

'He might be better off going for the hurdles race with the distance being two miles six furlongs.

'I`m quite happy to switch Tullymurry Toff between hurdles and fences and do have specific races in mind for him later in the season.

'But I won`t decide where he goes until declaration time on Friday.'