Pizarro O´Grady´s main hope for Cheltenham

Trainer Edward O´Grady today reported Pizarro in 'great shape' for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at next month´s National Hunt Festival at Cheltenham.

The seven-year-old, who won the 2002 Weatherbys Champion Bumper and finished second in last season´s Royal & SunAlliance Novices´ Hurdle, showed his well-being when winning the Grade One Dr P J Moriarty Novice Chase at Leopardstown earlier this month.

Speaking today on a Cheltenham Racecourse-organised media day at his Co. Tipperary yard, O´Grady said: 'Pizarro is our great white hope. The trip at Leopardstown [2m 5f] is as short as he would have wanted and he will improve for the step up in trip to three miles at Cheltenham.

'I´ve never won a Royal & SunAlliance Chase and would like to win it. He likes the track and is probably unlucky not to have won two out of two there. He´s better going left-handed, likes Cheltenham and history has proved it is a great place for horses for courses.

'I´m very hopeful about it and anything we take over there has a chance.'

O´Grady also had news that his Smurfit Champion Hurdle contender Back In Front is lame and the trainer is facing an uphill struggle to get the 2002 Letheby & Christopher Supreme Novices´ Hurdle victor to the Festival next month (March 16, 17 & 18).

'He´s lame on his near fore. He worked very well in a racecourse gallop last Wednesday and was sound on Thursday. I´ve no idea what´s the matter with him but he pulled-up not 100% sound on Friday and is still not right.

'We have had the vet, farrier and chiropractor in and haven´t come to a conclusion why he is lame. His participation at Cheltenham in is the balance.

'I´ve got to be realistic that there is a hill to climb and not a lot I can do. As every morning comes, the hill is getting steeper.'

Among O´Grady´s other Cheltenham contenders is Sidalcea, a half-sister to Best Mate, who is on course for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

'She run runs on Thursday in a fillies´ bumper at Limerick and that will show us if she should be heading over to Cheltenham. She gets a 7lb allowance there which is a big help. We will try and get Jamie Spencer to ride, it would be silly not to.

'We might also run Overbury Affair in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper. He will run next Saturday and we will decide after that.'

The trainer could also be represented in the Christie´s Foxhunter Chase by General Montcalm, who finished second at Fairyhouse on Saturday in the John McCarthy Memorial Hunters Chase.

'He was maybe unlucky to be touched off in the Hunter Chase on Saturday and could still go for the Christie´s Foxhunter Chase.'

Among O´Grady´s other Cheltenham representatives could be Turtleback, who is entered in the Coral Cup and the Vincent O´Brien County Handicap Hurdle, and John Oliver, a possible runner in either the Letheby & Cristopher Supreme Novices´ Hurdle or the Royal & SunAlliance Novices´ Hurdle.

He has trained 17 Cheltenham Festival winners so far during his career, and is third in the list of most successful current trainers at the meeting.