Keatley to look at options for Drumconnor Trainer Adrian Keatley is to assess the options for Drumconnor Lad with the recent Navan scorer seemingly unlikely to make the cut for the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase at Cheltenham next week. After shaping with promise on his first two starts over fences at Leopardstown and Cork, the Winged Love gelding made it third time lucky over fences when justifying odds-on favouritism in a rated novice chase in mid-February. He holds an entry on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, but is 61st on the list and Keatley may have to consider races on home soil instead. Keatley said: "Drumconnor Lad got an entry on the first day in Cheltenham. He has 10st 11lb, but he more than likely won't get in." Given the recent weather conditions, the Curragh-based trainer is thankful he has not got the headache of preparing a team for the Festival. He added: "It's been a struggle for us all here in the Curragh, like most other places. "It's just as well I don't have a dozen or 20 horses to get ready for Cheltenham as we'd have nowhere to be galloping them at the moment anyway."
