Meade likely to split his aces ahead of star-studded weekend

Road To Riches gave Noel Meade a memorable day at Down Royal in winning the JNWine.com Champion Chase in 2014 but this Saturday he will look to rely on a different 'road' to glory – sending recent Punchestown victor Road To Respect into battle against Our Duke.

Last season's Cheltenham Festival and Grade 1 Ryanair Gold Cup-winning chaser looks set to avoid a potential clash with stablemate and two-time top flight winner Disko this weekend, with the Gigginstown-owned pair set to take up different engagements at the northern venue.

Meade said on Wednesday: "It's more than likely – without being set in stone – that Road To Respect will run in the big race and Disko will run in the Grade 2."

Road To Respect is a 7-2 shot for the first Grade 1 of the National Hunt season, while Disko is 11-8 favourite for the MyCarNeedsA.com Chase (Grade 2) over just under half a mile shorter than the James Nicholson-sponsored event.

Valseur Lido (nearside) won the feature event last year but won't be lining up this time aroundCredit: Edward Whitaker

Last year's winner Valseur Lido had looked set to make his seasonal reappearance in the feature event this weekend, returning from an injury which has kept him on the sidelines since late December, but Gigginstown's Eddie O'Leary reported on Wednesday that he won't be lining up in the €140,000 contest.

Elaborating on his representatives, Meade continued: "We couldn't have been happier with Road To Respect at Punchestown last time and hopefully it'll leave him a bit fitter this time around. Disko will be having his first run of the year but he's ready to go."

Tony Martin, fresh from Group 1 success in Italy with Laganore at the weekend, could be represented by Anibale Fly, a Grade 3-winning novice chaser last season, in the second-season novice event against Meade's grey.

He said: "We'll see how he does in the morning before making a call but there's a chance he'll run. He's ready to start back again, having run well behind Disko at Punchestown on his last start in April."

The master of Tu Va Stables also has a notable entrant in the two-mile maiden hurdle on Saturday's card in the shape of Red Jack, who recorded two wins in two bumper starts last season and looks set to embark on a novice hurdling campaign.

Red Jack: was purchased by JP McManus after his initial bumper successCredit: Caroline Norris

Meade said of the best-priced 20-1 shot for the Albert Bartlett and 25-1 for the Supreme and Ballymore Novices' at the Cheltenham Festival: "Red Jack is among five we have entered in the two-mile maiden hurdle on Saturday."

He added: "We haven't decided what's going yet but he's in good shape. He's done his piece of work and is ready to go."

JNwine.com Champion Chase

Paddy Power: 4-6 Our Duke, 7-2 Road To Respect, 9 More Of That, 14 Disko, Sub Lieutenant, 20 Alpha Des Obeaux, Outlander, Zabana, 25 Carlingford Lough

Mycarneedsa.com Chase

Paddy Power: 11-8 Disko, 3 A Toi Phil, 9-2 Anibale Fly, 6 Ballyoisin, Road To Respect, 7 Balko Des Flos, 9 Ball D'Arc, 10 Alpha Des Obeaux, Woodland Opera, 20 Neverushacon, 33 Tout Est Permis

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