Codd looking for a magic show from favourite Genie

Jamie Codd was one of the busier riders in action at Leopardstown's gallops and schooling morning on Monday, when his mounts included A Genie In Abottle, on whom he will bid for a second National Hunt Chase victory on Tuesday.

The Noel Meade-trained six-year-old is 11-2 favourite for the four-miler, and after schooling him Codd reported: "I'd never sat on him before, so it was good to get to know him with next week in mind. We popped a few fences and I let him stride on up the straight. I liked him."

Codd, who has notched five festival winners, added: "I'm expecting to have four rides next week. In addition to A Genie In Abottle, I ride Cause Of Causes in the cross-country chase and On The Fringe in the Foxhunter, and I might be on one of Gordon [Elliott]'s in the Kim Muir."

Cause Of Causes (Jamie Codd, right) works at LeopardstownCredit: Patrick McCann

Meade's other festival runners, including JLT Novices' Chase hope Disko, and Snow Falcon, who goes for the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle, worked on the Flat.

Elliott brought 33 horses, most Cheltenham-bound, to work on the Flat.

"We were just giving them a good blow and were never going to learn anything we didn't know already. It all went well," said the trainer after his team had worked in two groups.

Gordon Elliott supervises a team of 33 at LeopardstownCredit: Patrick McCann

Death Duty (Shane McCann), the Albert Bartlett favourite, went in the first group, in which Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup hopes Outlander and Don Poli were ridden by David Mullins and Brian O'Connell.

Death Duty works under Shane McCann on MondayCredit: Patrick McCann

Bryan Cooper rode Neptune Hurdle candidate Shattered Love, and OLBG Mares' Hurdle hope Apple's Jade.

The Storyteller (Donagh Meyler, left), Don Poli (Brian O'Connell, centre) and Shattered Love (Brian Cooper) go throught their paces on the exercise morningCredit: Patrick McCann

Elliott is considering sending the talented but quirky Labaik for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle. The six-year-old has twice refused to race this season but is a Grade 2 winner.

"He jumped off fine this morning and has huge ability," said Elliott. "We might let him take his chance in the Supreme."

According to Frank Berry, JP McManus's racing manager, Jer's Girl, a dual Grade 1 winner last season who has three entries at the Festival, is "more than likely to run in the Grade 1 mares' hurdle".

She worked over a mile and a quarter on Monday, ridden by Keith Donoghue, and trainer Gavin Cromwell said: "That went very well. Ruby [Walsh] rode Prospectus in the gallop and he rides him in the Fred Winter."

Bellshill none the worse

A total of 200 horses, the majority of them point-to-point four-year-olds, were in action, with Dermot Weld working ten.

Bellshill, who fell at the first fence in a schooling session after racing at Leopardstown on Sunday, was reported none the worse by trainer Willie Mullins on Monday.

"He was fine this morning and was ridden out to do his usual morning exercise," the trainer said of the seven-year-old, who has the RSA Chase as his most likely festival target.

RSA Chase entries