Dempsey Set To Miss Punchestown

Dempsey, runner up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, is set to bypass a run at the Punchestown Festival in favour of an alternative engagement at Sandown.

Carl Llewellyn's charge is entered in the Kerrygold Champion Chase at Punchestown but the trainer is leaning towards tackling the Betfred Celebration Chase at Sandown on April 28 instead.

The nine-year-old's last three wins have all come at the Esher venue and Llewellyn is hoping his stable star can build on his career-best performance at Cheltenham.

'He will probably go to Sandown I think, as long as it doesn't get too firm,' said the trainer. 'But it's good to firm there already.

'I don't really fancy taking him over there (Punchestown) in the week of the Sandown race.

'It would be a bit much asking him to run in both and Sandown would look the more likely option at this stage.

'He would need good ground though, and I'll be hoping that Sandown water as he wouldn't be running on very fast ground.'

(C) PA Sport