Horse Racing: Listen up, everyone ..I have a very cunning Plan

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Jan 25, 2009 | by RYAN McELLIGOTT

FOLLOW The Plan can cement his status as Ireland's top novice by landing the Arkle Cup Novice Chase.

He's won three of his four trips over fences and produced a superb effort to give 11lb to the English raider Tatenen and defeat him last month by a short head here.

That performance marked him down as a high-class novice and makes him the logical form choice. But the softer ground is a worry as he was beaten on a testing surface at Navan last month.

Jayo is a dangerous rival after jumping brilliantly to win at Naas recently.

He looks a very smart recruit to chasing.

The two and a half mile novice hurdle is a good hat-trick chance for Weapon's Amnesty. He was an effortless winner of a Gowran maiden last month before landing a decent novice hurdle at Limerick.

The Charles Byrnes inmate is preferred to 2008 Cheltenham bumper runner-up Corskeagh Royale who won over this course and distance a month ago.

Robert Tyner's Callher what u-like is put forward to win the handicap chase after a solid effort in the Paddy Power Chase here over Christmas. The three mile trip seemed to stretch the mare that day and she could be happier back over this shorter distance.

Notable d'Estruval also contested the Paddy Power and took a fine fourth.

He reverts to hurdles in the two-mile six-furlong handicap and looks poised to play a leading role.