Monksland has Leopardstown target The newly-named Neville Hotels Novice Chase at Leopardstown is next on the agenda for Monksland following his fine effort in defeat at Fairyhouse on Sunday. The high-class but injury-prone staying hurdler made a fine start to his career over fences when striking gold at Gowran Park earlier in the month and trainer Noel Meade decided to let him turn out again just eight days later for the Drinmore Novice Chase. Monksland performed with plenty of credit to fill the runner-up spot behind No More Heroes, ante-post favourite for the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, and Meade is looking forward to seeing his charge step back up in distance over the Festive period. He said: "He ran well. He'll be a better over a bit further. "He seems fine this morning and hopefully we can keep him right, that's the main thing with him. "All going well we'll look to go to Leopardstown over Christmas for the Fort Leney (Neville Hotels Novice Chase), back over three miles."
