Sadness surrounds White Star's run White Star Line runs for the first time since the death of owner Patsy Byrne in the Wilderness Chase at Clonmel on Thursday. The nine-year-old won the Kerry National at Listowel in September, but Byrne died suddenly a few weeks later. Hughes admits he will be sorely missed when White Star Line returns to the track. The County Kildare handler said: "I suppose we'll be thinking of Patsy. "It was very sad what happened, he was a very popular man." Although Hughes expressed some concerns about the two-and-a-half-mile trip, Hughes hopes White Star Line can develop into a National horse this season. He said: "This looked an easy opportunity for him, so we were keen to run. You would hope that his class would shine through, although the trip might be a bit short. "He'd always shaped like he had a performance like his last one in him and we always hoped it would all come good in a big race somewhere along the line. "Now he's won one I suppose we can start thinking of something like the Becher at Aintree over three-mile-two. "After that I suppose he'd probably be a National horse so we'd have to mind his mark a little - although he's only rated 143 now so we could maybe do with winning another just to make sure he gets in." White Star Line faces just three rivals, Becauseicouldntsee, Make A Track and Ros Brin.
