Cracker goes for Powers Mr Cracker, successful twice at Grade 2 level over fences this season, will bid for Grade 1 glory in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Sunday. The six-year-old gelding has proved a revelation since sent chasing, and indeed has turned into something of a Limerick specialist scoring four times at the right-handed venue this term including those two Grade 2 victories. The son of Anshan recorded a bloodless success there in the 2m3f Greenmount Park Novice Chase after Christmas, and coped well with the step up to three miles in the Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase earlier this month. “He's in good form and goes for the Powers Gold Cup (2m4f) at Fairyhouse on Sunday. He surprised me the last day at Limerick but disappointed before that at Cheltenham in the Jewson where he just never got in a blow,” said trainer Michael Hourigan. However worryingly for his prospects at Fairyhouse, and contrary to popular belief, Hourigan is convinced he is better going the other way around. “He is much better going left-handed but has yet to prove that. He won his point-to-point going left-handed and also won around Navan, while in his younger days he tried to run out through the stable gate at both Wexford and Limerick,” said the Patrickswell trainer. A New Story is Hourigan's sole remaining entry in the Ladbrokes Irish National, and the veteran appears likely to get a run with 51 entries remaining following the latest forfeit stage. With a maximum of 25 runners allowed in the three miles and five furlongs event, he is currently first reserve at number 26. Declarations will be made on Friday. The 13-year-old gelding was fourth to Bluesea Cracker in the Fairyhouse Easter Monday showpiece last year, and made a bold bid to land the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase for the second successive year when third to a creditable third to Sizing Australia at Cheltenham last month. “A New Story will go for the Irish National and Adrian (Heskin) will ride. He should get in but failing that he'll go for a cross country race in France on June 2,” said Hourigan. Alan Magee
