Grade 1 winner Ballyadam catching the eye as he embarks on his chasing career

Watch Racing Free Online At Ladbrokes Beginners Chase | 4yo+ | 2m1f | RTV

Grade 1-winning novice hurdler Ballyadam will embark on his chasing career at Punchestown on Tuesday with Chris Richardson, the managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud, saying the horse has been catching trainer Henry de Bromhead's eye at home.

Ballyadam landed the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse last year when trained by Gordon Elliott, who sourced the horse for Cheveley Park Stud after he won his point-to-point.

A distant second to Appreciate It in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle on debut for Henry de Bromhead at Cheltenham last season, Ballyadam was beaten on his only other start for the stable, when fourth in the 2m4f Grade 1 novice hurdle at Aintree.

Richardson said: "Henry tells us he's been catching the eye at home and they're all very happy with him. He's in good form, this is a nice place to start and we'll learn a bit more about him.

"Ontheropes won the Munster National for us on Sunday and we're really lucky to have some very nice horses for the winter. We have to pinch ourselves and appreciate the legacy that David Thompson set out."

Although Ballyadam is expected to go off a short price favourite in the opening Watch Racing Free Online At Ladbrokes Beginners Chase, he faces some decent opposition in the six-runner contest, including the Emmet Mullins-trained Grade 2 novice hurdle winner Cape Gentleman.

Last year's Irish Cesarewitch winner Cape Gentleman will provide stern opposition to BallyadamCredit: Edward Whitaker

A winner of the Irish Cesarewitch and the Dovecote Novices' Hurdle last year, Cape Gentleman was last seen finishing third to Saldier in the Galway Hurdle.

Mullins is hoping for a clear round and said: "We have to start somewhere. The ground shouldn't be an issue for him and fingers crossed we get a clean round of jumping."

Gigginstown House Stud may be scaling down their operation but the operation still has plenty of fire power for the winter and Eric Bloodaxe, who beat Ferny Hollow in his debut bumper in December 2019, is towards the top of that list.

The six-year-old is set to make his debut over hurdles in the Play Ladbrokes 5-A Side On Football Maiden Hurdle (3.30), and Eddie O'Leary is hoping conditions will be safe enough for the Joseph O'Brien-trained gelding to return.

O'Leary said: "Hopefully it will be soft enough. We like Eric Bloodaxe a lot but he is a big winter horse and won't run unless the ground is safe. He has some very good form. Joseph is happy with him and he needs to start. I'd be looking forward to him if the ground is right."

Gigginstown will also be represented by Wide Receiver in the Ladbrokes Best Odds Guaranteed Online Hurdle, with O'Leary revealing the plan will be to go chasing afterwards.

He added: "Wide Receiver is similar to Eric Bloodaxe in that he wants it softer. He's a nice horse and we might go chasing with him after this."

Follow your favourites with our amazing Horse Tracker feature. Add up to 1,000 horses to your stable, filter them and keep up to date with automatic email alerts. Join Members' Club Ultimate now and never miss a winner again!