Leopardstown aim for Zabana Zabana, placed at both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals for trainer Andy Lynch last season, is on course to make his chasing debut over the festive period. Having won a decent event at Navan, he went on to beat all bar Aux Ptits Soins in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham in March. He was then stepped up to the highest level at Punchestown and was not disgraced at all when finishing third behind Jezki in the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle. A small setback delayed his reappearance but all is now back on track. "You'll see him at Leopardstown in a beginners' chase on December 28," said County Meath-based Lynch. "We decided to go chasing rather than waste any more time over hurdles. "He had a little setback which cost us about four to six weeks, but everything is rosy now. "He's a very exciting prospect. Davy Russell came in to school him the other day and he was absolutely thrilled with him."
