Nicanor Heads Strong Meade Team For Punchestown Festival

Noel Meade revealed today that crack novice hurdlers Nicanor, Iktitaf and Sweet Wake are likely to be among a strong team of horses from his Tu Va yard heading to the four-day Punchestown Festival, to be held from Tuesday, April 25, to Friday, April 28, and which this year boasts record prize-money of ?2.289 million.

Nicanor, winner of the Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, where he defeated the highly-touted Denman, will bid for further Grade One success in the two and a half mile ?62,000 Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Champion Novice Hurdle on Friday 28.

Meade revealed today: 'Nicanor did a little piece of work this morning and is in good form. He won on good ground at Cheltenham, so he seemed to handle that, and he?s also won on soft ground. He seems to go on anything but I wouldn?t chance him on fast ground.'

The County Meath handler is set to run Iktitaf and Sweet Wake in Tuesday?s ?62,000 Grade One VC Bet Champion Novice Hurdle over two miles.

Iktitaf, a five-length winner of the Grade One Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse in December, was last seen when one and a half lengths second to Mounthenry in the Grade Two Byrne Group Plc Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on February 5, where he picked up an unfortunate injury.

The five-year-old gelding is set to make an eagerly anticipated reappearance.

Meade reported: 'I think Iktitaf will be back. He got a bad cut last time that kept him off the course, but he did a nice piece of work this morning and I was very pleased with him. Things went very good and it looks like he?s going to make it to Punchestown.'

Iktitaf is set for a thrilling clash with stablemate Sweet Wake, a Group Two winner on the flat in Germany before capturing a brace of novice hurdles at Naas and Leopardstown this season.

Sweet Wake was considered something of an Irish banker for the Grade One Supreme Novices? Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, for which he started 5/2 favourite, but was only fifth behind Noland and the possibly reopposing runner-up Straw Bear.

The trainer commented: 'Sweet Wake hasn?t worked for Punchestown yet but he?s had a little break after Cheltenham and we?re just winding him up again now.

'Iktitaf would probably like a bit of cut in the ground but the other lad, I?d probably say the better the ground the better for him.'

Meade could field owner Des Sharkey?s smart novice chaser Wild Passion who landed last season?s VC Bet Champion Novice Hurdle and was fourth to Voy Por Ustedes on his latest start in the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham.

The trainer said: 'Wild Passion runs in the Power Gold Cup on Sunday at Fairyhouse and if all goes well I think he?ll finish up at Punchestown. Again, I?m looking for better ground with him so if everything goes alright he?ll run in either the Swordlestown Gold Cup or the Betfair.com Novice Chase.'

Watson Lake, sixth to Newmill in the Queen Mother Champion Chase before defeating Nickname in the Grade Three An Uaimh Chase at Naas, has two Grade One options at the Festival.

Meade reported: 'I?m not sure which race Watson Lake will go for. He?s entered in the Guiness Gold Cup and he?s also in the two-mile Kerrygold Champion Chase, but we?ll wait until closer to the day before make up our mind which way he?s going to go.'

Piltown trainer Joe Crowley is hoping that Hairy Molly can replicate his fine Cheltenham effort at Punchestown on Wednesday, April 26.

Hairy Molly, the surprise 33/1 winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in March, is set to attempt a big-race Festival double at Punchestown in the ?100,000 Grade One Paddy Power Champion Irish National Hunt Flat Race.

Crowley reported today: 'He?s in good form after Cheltenham and is on course for the Bumper at Punchestown.'

The six-year-old Shernazar gelding benefited from a powerful Paul Carberry drive to hold the determined challenge of Pressgang by a head at Cheltenham last time, and make it three wins from four starts after victories at Naas in January and February.

Crowley has no ground concerns about his charge, who he holds in high regard, saying: 'His first two wins came on soft and then he won on good ground at Cheltenham, so it looks like he?ll go on anything.'

As for the future, Crowley is looking for another big performance at Punchestown before making any definite plans.

He revealed: 'I?ll talk to the owner but I think he?ll go hurdling next season. He?ll get a break after Punchestown and go out to grass, and then possibly go over hurdles at the back-end of this year.'

Going Report Thursday, April 13, 2006 Going: Soft, Soft to Heavy in Places 6mm rainfall overnight Weather Forecast: Rain clearing this morning with dry weather this afternoon. Remaining mostly dry over the weekend with the chance of some light showers of rain or drizzle. Temperatures will remain mild.