Workout and weather will clarify Hotazhell's weekend option Plans are fluid over which race Jessica Harrington's Hotazhell participates in over Irish Champions Festival, assistant trainer Kate Harrington told Dave Keena. The Too Darn Hot colt finished a close fourth in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby in August and was successful at the highest level in the Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster last season. He holds entries in the Group 2 Solonaway Stakes over a mile and in the Group 1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes over 10 furlongs, both at Leopardstown on Saturday. Harrington said: "The plan is to see what the weather does tomorrow (Sunday), there's a nice bit of rain forecast and see what rain comes during the week. He has the two options. "He has come out of his race in Saratoga very, very well and didn't seem to take too much out of him. "He wasn't too far behind Delacroix in the Coral-Eclipse (fifth in Sandown) probably on quicker ground than ideal. I don't think we are going to have quick ground at Leopardstown - I think at worst it is going to be slow side of good which will suit him down to the ground. "Fingers and toes crossed - not sure which (race) we are going to go for, but let's hope he runs a big race." When asked if the stable are tempted to go for the Irish Champion Stakes with Ombudsman ruled out, she replied: "It is very, very tempting and he is due to work on Monday and we will see how he goes there. With him (Ombudsman) out of the race, it definitely does make it a little bit more tempting to go for that. "I think he is effective over anything (trips), I just think having a little bit of an ease in the ground will really suit him. "He was very unlucky in Saratoga, just didn't really get the gaps when he needed and finished on the bridle two strides after the line. He was basically up. He has come out of that race unbelievable, and onwards and upwards to Leopardstown next weekend. "If he had done the business there (Saratoga), we would have been going in here with chest out for the Irish Champion Stakes but we are on a bit of a recovery mission. If it looks like a nice option to take our chance in the Irish Champion Stakes, I'm sure we won't back down and will go there all guns blazing."
