Dermot Weld has decided not to send Ansar for Saturday's Tote Cesarewitch in Newmarket and instead the high class dual-purpose performer will wait for the November Handicap at Leopardstown.
Ansar has been among the market leaders in the ante-post betting for the marathon handicap at Newmarket but Weld is thinking further ahead to a hurdling campaign through the winter for the horse.
"The horse is in great form but I have decided to give him more time. Hopefully he will be busy through winter and he could run in the Hattons Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse. But before that he will go for the Leopardstown November Handicap," Weld said yesterday.
A defeat of Grimes at Tipperary last time confirmed the progress Ansar is making since notching his biggest success to date in the Galway Hurdle last August.
Ansar's defection leaves Barba Papa as the Irish representative in the Cesarewitch, a race he finished third in last year, and John Murtagh has been engaged.
In addition to a nine-strong team in the Dewhurst Stakes, Aidan O'Brien also has three entries in the Group Two Rockfel Stakes for fillies. The pick looks to lie between Lahinch and Moon Safari with Sophisticat reportedly bound for the Breeders Cup.
Rebelline won her first race on the corresponding Navan card last year but this afternoon's renewal of the Kilcarn Stud Maiden looks bound for Ballydoyle with Aidan O'Brien set to run three fillies by Sadlers Wells.
Mick Kinane's decision to ride Kournakova is understandable considering the improvement she showed from a Curragh debut to getting Group One placed in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp behind Sulk.
The O'Brien-Kinane team are also represented in the opener by Tesio but Tender Cove's 98 rating makes a pretty convincing argument in this company while Life Match shouldn't be able to cope with the Thurles runner-up Zanara in the mile and five maiden.
