CHELTENHAM NEWS

Naas a surprise option for Exhibition

Latest Exhibition could return to the track this weekend after being unveiled as a surprise inclusion for a Grade Three at Naas on Sunday.

The eight-year-old had appeared on course for a return to the Cheltenham Festival next week having produced an impressive performance when finishing runner-up to Monkfish in the Albert Bartlett last year.

However, after failing to get close to Monkfish in two subsequent clashes at Leopardstown, the prospect of yet another meeting with Willie Mullins' rising star in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Prestbury Park proved far from appealing.

Having ruled out running at Cheltenham last week, trainer Paul Nolan was expected to keep Latest Exhibition at home until Fairyhouse's Easter meeting but is now weighing up whether to give him a run out in the Bar One Racing Directors Plate over two-and-a-half miles.

“We'll make a final decision closer to the weekend – we've just given ourselves the option,” Nolan told Sky Sports, when asked about Latest Exhibition's surprise entry..

“We're almost sure we won't be going to Cheltenham, but we're leaving it until the last minute just in case anything untoward happens.

“We're just giving ourselves an option this weekend. If we hadn't entered there was no decision to make.

“We're looking at the Ryanair Gold Cup or the Irish National at Fairyhouse at Easter.”