Foxrock primed for John Durkan Leading owner Barry Connell is hopeful Foxrock can make his presence felt in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase. The seven-year-old ran the race of his life when runner-up in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown in February, but disappointed when supplemented for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Ted Walsh's charge was well beaten on his return to action in a hurdle race at Navan a fortnight ago, but is second only to Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam on official ratings for this weekend's Grade One feature as he returns to the chasing game. Connell said: "He seems to have come out of the Navan run well. He's one of the highest rated horses in the race and he won the BoyleSports Chase at Leopardstown over two-mile-five, so I don't think the trip will be any bother to him. "With the way the ground is, it'll be a test and we'll see what we can do. "His main target is the Lexus at Leopardstown at Christmas, but hopefully he'll run well on Sunday." Djakadam is one of two runners for Willie Mullins, with the champion trainer also saddling Gigginstown House Stud's dual Grade One-winning novice Valseur Lido. Gigginstown are also double-handed, with Clarcam looking to bounce back from what trainer Gordon Elliott felt was a below -par run when runner-up to Ptit Zig in the Powers Irish Whiskey Chase at Down Royal in October. "It was not his running the last day, but he can do that for whatever reason. He did it at Cheltenham last year and then came back and hosed up at Aintree," said the County Meath-based trainer.
