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Big National Hunt names at Galway Monday

Go NativeGo Native
© Healy Racing Photos

Go Native takes another step towards returning to hurdles when he lines up for the www.swordsecurity.com (Q.R.) Race at Galway on Monday.

Trainer Noel Meade has the Dobbins & Madigans @ Punchestown Morgiana Hurdle on November 18 in mind for the three-time Grade One winner, who made a pleasing return from over two years off the track when third in a Flat race at Navan earlier this month.

"Everything's been good since Navan. We schooled him the other day over hurdles and he jumped very well," said Meade.

"We thought we'd bring him back to the track again just to sharpen him up a bit more and the next step would be the Morgiana, so we thought we'd give him another race.

"He's in good form and hopefully he'll run a good race."

Among Go Native's 14 rivals in Galway's mile and three-quarters event is another Festival hero Forpadydeplasterer, whose last success was as far back as the 2009 Arkle Trophy.

He has, however, run a string of fine races since then, including when runner-up in the 2010 Queen Mother Champion Chase and when second to Sizing Europe at Gowran Park three weeks ago.

He returns to the scene of his bumper success as part of his preparation for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 17.

"We're very happy with him. He won his bumper there as a five-year-old the same weekend as this," said his trainer Tom Cooper.

"The plan is to go for the Paddy Power at Cheltenham. We might as well try to pick up some prize-money and give him a racecourse gallop at the same time."