All focus on Leopardstown for Darver Star team Trainer Gavin Cromwell is planning to run Darver Star, who was placed in this year's Champion Hurdle, in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase on St Stephen’s Day at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival. Darver Star disappointed last month in his most recent start in a Grade 2 Novice Chase at Punchestown but Cromwell is hoping for a much better performance at Leopardstown. “Little bit disappointed,” was the County Meath handler’s reaction to his stable star’s most recent effort. He went on: “He didn’t travel with as much zest as we’d like. I think most of that was down to the ground. “He had a little wind op straight after that race and he seems to have bounced back from that. He’s in great nick at home. Hopefully we’ll see a different horse at Christmas. “Generally we get a bit of nicer ground in Leopardstown so hopefully that’ll bring out the best in him. “It is the plan (two mile race on St Stephen’s Day). I didn’t even enter him in the Limerick race in case I got tempted into it. I don’t think the Limerick ground would suit him. “I just want to stick to the two miles for the moment even though you would say from the last day that he wants two and a half. “You don’t go from being competitive in a Champion Hurdle six months ago to being a slow horse. That doesn’t happen overnight so we’ll stick to the plan at the moment.”
