Coral Cup an option for back-to-form Beacon Edge

Grade One-winning chaser finding his feet again over hurdles.

Noel Meade could bypass the Stayers’ Hurdle with Beacon Edge in favour of a tilt at the Coral Cup, as he ramps up plans for the Cheltenham Festival.

The nine-year-old showed plenty of his former sparkle when third to last season’s Albert Bartlett winner Blazing Khal at Navan last week.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned winner of the Grade Two Boyne Hurdle two years ago, Beacon Edge appeared to have lost his way after landing the Grade One Drimnore Novice Chase at Leopardstown 15 months ago.

However, he has shown a renewed zest since a return to the smaller obstacles and his County Meath handler is keeping him in the Stayers’ Hurdle, for which is is a general 50-1 chance.

Meade said: “He’s in the Stayers’ Hurdle, but I think, depending on what way the English handicapper handicaps him, there is quite a possibility he will run in the Coral Cup.

“He has been in good shape since Navan.

“He didn’t like jumping fences and he kind of lost his way, because he was worried about them. It has taken a race or two to just get him back over hurdles.

“We’ll leave him in both races and see what weight he gets. He is better on better ground than he is on very heavy ground. Good ground would suit him well.”

Flanking Maneuver also finished placed on the same Navan card, finishing just a length and a quarter behind Churchstonewarrior in the Grade Two Ten Up Novice Chase.

It was his first try over fences and his first run since finishing fourth to Bob Olinger in the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle at Navan two years ago.

Flanking Maneuver made a promising comeback after 760 days off the track
Flanking Maneuver made a promising comeback after 760 days off the track (Niall Carson/PA)

“He did a tendon in that Grade One at Naas, when he was running a nice race. He is a nice horse,” said Meade.

“I don’t rightly know where he is going to go next. I would assume that we will probably keep him to good races.

“That is what we are probably thinking and if he wins one, he wins one – and if he doesn’t, he doesn’t.

“He’ll still be a novice next season, but he is eight years of age, so time has passed on him.

“But that is probably what we will do, I’d imagine. “

Asked if he will run again this season, Meade was positive. He added: “I haven’t actually discussed it with Eddie (O’Leary, Gigginstown House Stud’s racing manager) since, so I don’t know exactly what he is thinking, but that is what I am thinking about, anyway.”

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