Native to run in Champion Chase

Native Upmanship has been confirmed a runner in the Queen Mother Champion Chase but will miss out on an intended start at Naas on Sunday.

The prospect of testing conditions for the Newlands Chase at the weekend has persuaded trainer Arthur Moore to bypass the Cheltenham Festival warm up in favour of the real thing.

'We will wait until Cheltenham. The Queen Mother will be the target. I`m sure the owner (John Magnier) will like to see him run in that,' Moore said yesterday.

Previously, the plan had been to also bypass Cheltenham and wait for Liverpool if the ground at the Festival turned up unsuitably quick for the former Durkan winner.

That ground proviso has now been dispensed with and Native Upmanship yesterday remained a 7 to 1 third favourite with most firms for the second-day highlight at Cheltenham.

The other main Irish hope for the Champion Chase, Knife Edge, remains a possible for the Newlands at Naas where the former Irish Grand National winner Commanche Court is set to run instead of in Saturday`s Racing Post Chase.

The bookies believe there will be just three Irish-trained winners at Cheltenham this year.

Both Powers (3 to 1) and Cashmans (7 to 2) make three winners their favourite for the number of Irish winners at the festival although optimists can bet 100 to 1 with the Cork firm that there will be eleven or more victories for the raiders.

The best total for the Irish in recent years was the six-winner haul in 1996 led home by the Gold Cup winner Imperial Call. It`s a best-priced 8 to 1 about a repeat six years later.

There are no problems expected, and no inspection planned, at Clonmel today, which is a welcome report after yesterday`s scheduled Limerick fixture was called off in the morning due to a waterlogged track.

The Limerick manager Angus Houston said: 'We had over an inch and a half of rain. We were seriously worried on Tuesday evening and I would say 60 per cent of the track was waterlogged when we looked at it in the morning.' Hopes of a quick re-scheduling of the meeting were abandoned due to the proximity of St Patrick`s Day, and Limerick`s next fixture. However, a Turf Club spokesman said yesterday a fixture could be put in place at the track in early July.

At Clonmel, the featured novice chase looks good for the Ruby Walsh ridden Star Of Caulry who takes a hike back in trip from a success at Thurles over three miles last time out. It should not present too much trouble for the Wachman-trained horse.

Keepakicker missed out on a suitable opportunity at Limerick but could be consoled with a victory in the ladies handicap hurdle while Bennie`s Pride, fourth to Direct Bearing at Leopardstown, looks the one for the opener. The Stayers` Hurdle hope Bannow Bay won the five-year-old maiden two years ago and the Navan-placed Whatatouch can follow suit.