Slim Chance Of Naas Return

Slim Pickings could make his seasonal debut at Naas on Saturday if the ground is on the 'easy side of good'.

Tom Taaffe would like to start the eight-year-old's campaign in the two-mile-three-furlong James And Helen Hannon Memorial Handicap Chase at Naas on Saturday if he is happy with the state of the going.

'Ground permitting, he'll go,' said Taaffe.

'He's well and I'm very keen to get a run into him but it's all be subject to the ground.

'If it's on the genuine easy side of good we'd be happy to go to Naas.

'If it's not, he'll give it a miss.'

Slim Pickings ended last season with an excellent third in the John Smith's Grand National and the Aintree showpiece may again be on the agenda.

'We'll keeping our all options open at this point in time,' added the County Kildare trainer.

Irrespective of Slim Pickings, Taaffe could still be represented in the Naas contest by Breaking Silence.

'He appreciates the nice ground so he might run at Naas,' he added.

(C) PA Sport