Trip Poser For Messenger

Dual Grade One winner Jazz Messenger faces eight rivals when he steps up in trip to two and a half miles in the Giltspur Scientific Tara Hurdle at Navan tomorrow.

Noel Meade's seven-year-old reappeared at Punchestown a month ago when winning the Maplewood Developments Hurdle and currently trades as short as 16-1 for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

He will be tackling this weekend's trip for only the second time and, despite finishing down the field on the first occasion when well behind Al Eile at Aintree, Meade is hopeful stamina will not prove his undoing.

'Jazzy is in great form ? we're stepping up in trip so we don't really know about that, but we're hoping he'll stay all right,' he said. 'We're hoping for a big run.'

Stablemate Rosaker has already won five times at Grade Two level, but is not guaranteed to line up alongside Jazz Messenger.

'Rosaker can run well in these races, but the ground is a slight concern and if it goes against us it's possible he might not take his chance,' Meade added.

Willie Mullins' veteran Adamant Approach will go into battle once more, while Michael Bowe holds a particularly strong hand with Earth Magic and Sweet Kiln.

The latter won over course and distance last month before being edged out by Meade's Aitmatov in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle.

(C) PA Sport