Jim Dreaper wants cut in the ground for Los Amigos and Goonyella ahead of the Boylesports Irish Grand National Chase at Fairyhouse on Monday.

Although the County Meath handler questioned whether the consistent Los Amigos can go the distance, Dreaper is convinced his other National candidate fulfils the criteria to win the race.

Goonyella failed to make the cut as a reserve for the Crabbie's Grand National at Aintree and was unlucky at Fairyhouse 12 months ago when his saddle slipped.

Dreaper told the Irish Examiner: "My pair's chances increase if the ground turns up soft, and I'm expecting them to encounter perfect ground.

"I'm not certain if Los Amigos stays three miles and five furlongs. There's an assumption that horses who stay three miles will get anything beyond that trip, but I'm not so sure.

"He won over hurdles before Christmas then finished second in the Thyestes to On His Own before finishing third to Gallant Oscar at Naas.

"Goonyella travelled to Aintree a couple of weeks ago but didn't get in and that could have been a blessing from God. If he had run there, or had managed to go any distance around, then he wouldn't be running this Monday.

"In last year's Fairyhouse National we thought he was well handicapped but his saddle slipped quite early so that was that. But I'm certain Goonyella has the winning of a Grand National in him.

"Seven-year-olds have a terrible record in the race, and that's not a fantastic statistic to be faced with, but he's in terrific form here at home so we're heading to Fairyhouse to have a go.

"Goonyella and Los Amigos are two improving horses and two genuine stayers. They're heading to Fairyhouse fit and healthy, and definitely have their chances."

Jeremy Scott will plan next season's campaign for Melodic Rendezvous around soft ground whether it be over hurdles or fences.

While Melodic Rendezvous will be schooled over the bigger obstacles in the autumn with a view to going novice chasing, Scott has not ruled out running the talented eight-year-old over hurdles if the going is suitable.

Melodic Rendezvous endured mixed fortunes this term, his victories in the Elite and Kingwell Hurdles at Wincanton and the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock tempered by below-par efforts in the Fighting Fifth, Champion and Liverpool Hurdles.

"He's fine. I think it was two quick races and we know now that he definitely wants soft ground," said Somerset-based Scott.

"He'll be out in a field and we will get him schooled up in the autumn over fences. We'll just see, there are also the graded hurdles if conditions are favourable."

Nicky Henderson has firmed up some of his options for Punchestown but Bobs Worth is highly unlikely to be among his team.

The Seven Barrows handler expects to take about 10 of his string over for the Festival but it will be Long Run, a faller in the Grand National, and not the 2013 Gold Cup winner who will be his representative in the Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup.

Impressive Aintree winner Beat That is also set to travel.

"Long Run will go and Bobs Worth, in all probability, won't, he's going to have a break," said Henderson.

"I think Beat That will go for the three-mile novice (Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle) and Kentucky Hyden and Royal Irish Hussar will go for the juvenile race (AES Champion Four Year Old Hurdle).

"There's a nice race for Ericht and we'll probably take about 10 in all."

Evan Williams is considering a trip to the Punchestown Festival with Court Minstrel following his good effort in defeat at Ayr last weekend.

With Champion Hurdle runner-up My Tent Or Yours in the field, Court Minstrel looked to have his work cut out as he defended his crown in the Scottish Champion Hurdle, 11lb higher in the weights than 12 months earlier.

However, the seven-year-old mastered Nicky Henderson's star hurdler after the final flight, only to be caught by John Quinn's talented mare, Cockney Sparrow, and Williams is now weighing up whether to step his charge up to Grade One level for the Racing Post Champion Hurdle at Punchestown on May 2.

"He's come out of the race really well and I think there's a fair chance that if it stays dry, we'll go to Ireland with him," said the Welsh trainer.

"He's in the Champion Hurdle (at Punchestown) and if the horse is well, we might let him take his chance.

"He ran a very good race at Ayr. We tracked the horse we wanted to and beat the horse we wanted to, but the mare has come and trumped us all. That's handicaps for you, but we're happy with our horse."

Evan Williams is considering a trip to the Punchestown Festival with Court Minstrel following his good effort in defeat at Ayr last weekend.

With Champion Hurdle runner-up My Tent Or Yours in the field, Court Minstrel looked to have his work cut out as he defended his crown in the Scottish Champion Hurdle, 11lb higher in the weights than 12 months earlier.

However, the seven-year-old mastered Nicky Henderson's star hurdler after the final flight, only to be caught by John Quinn's talented mare, Cockney Sparrow, and Williams is now weighing up whether to step his charge up to Grade One level for the Racing Post Champion Hurdle at Punchestown on May 2.

"He's come out of the race really well and I think there's a fair chance that if it stays dry, we'll go to Ireland with him," said the Welsh trainer.

"He's in the Champion Hurdle (at Punchestown) and if the horse is well, we might let him take his chance.

"He ran a very good race at Ayr. We tracked the horse we wanted to and beat the horse we wanted to, but the mare has come and trumped us all. That's handicaps for you, but we're happy with our horse."

Evan Williams is keeping his fingers crossed the talented Buywise can brush up his jumping in the Wooden Spoon Charity Silver Trophy at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

The seven-year-old has been well placed by his trainer to rack up a hat-trick of victories since the turn of the year, with a Taunton triumph sandwiched by a couple of similarly comprehensive victories at Ludlow.

He ran a remarkable race to finish fifth in the Rewards4Racing Novices' Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival given he made a number of jumping errors and Williams admits getting from one side of a fence to another smoothly is his gelding's Achilles heel.

Williams said: "He jumped like his legs were tied together at Cheltenham last time and there is plenty of evidence to suggest if he'd jumped better he'd have gone very close to winning.

"It's an interesting one, as there is no doubt he's got a big engine. We've just got to try and sort the jumping out.

"We found some nice little gaps for him (before Cheltenham) at some of the lesser tracks and he went from that to going to an elite track, so I can't knock the horse.

"He can be a bit sloppy and there is no doubt he's a little bit wooden, but that's for his jockey to worry about!"

Buywise is one of 10 horses declared for the two-mile-five-furlong Grade Two feature, with the Paul Nicholls-trained Pacha Du Polder heading the weights.

Next in the list is Caroline Keevil's stable star Bally Legend, who won the valuable BetBright Chase at Kempton on his penultimate start before a slightly below-par showing at Newbury.

Keevil said: "He loves the sun on his back and he seems in very good form.

"He came out of his last race well. Two and a half miles at Newbury was just a little bit too sharp for him.

"He's only racing over a furlong further on Wednesday, but two miles and five furlongs at Cheltenham, going up that famous hill, is very different.

"He's only a small horse, which is why we decided to miss the big Festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree, as he would have been running in bigger fields.

"This race has cut up, as we expected it to, and it has been his main target since he won at Kempton in February.

"We're looking forward to seeing him run and I don't think the quicker ground will be a problem."

Astracad, Carrickboy and Real Milan also feature in a wide-open contest.

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Evan Williams is keeping his fingers crossed the talented Buywise can brush up his jumping in the Wooden Spoon Charity Silver Trophy at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

The seven-year-old has been well placed by his trainer to rack up a hat-trick of victories since the turn of the year, with a Taunton triumph sandwiched by a couple of similarly comprehensive victories at Ludlow.

He ran a remarkable race to finish fifth in the Rewards4Racing Novices' Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival given he made a number of jumping errors and Williams admits getting from one side of a fence to another smoothly is his gelding's Achilles heel.

Williams said: "He jumped like his legs were tied together at Cheltenham last time and there is plenty of evidence to suggest if he'd jumped better he'd have gone very close to winning.

"It's an interesting one, as there is no doubt he's got a big engine. We've just got to try and sort the jumping out.

"We found some nice little gaps for him (before Cheltenham) at some of the lesser tracks and he went from that to going to an elite track, so I can't knock the horse.

"He can be a bit sloppy and there is no doubt he's a little bit wooden, but that's for his jockey to worry about!"

Buywise is one of 10 horses declared for the two-mile-five-furlong Grade Two feature, with the Paul Nicholls-trained Pacha Du Polder heading the weights.

Next in the list is Caroline Keevil's stable star Bally Legend, who won the valuable BetBright Chase at Kempton on his penultimate start before a slightly below-par showing at Newbury.

Keevil said: "He loves the sun on his back and he seems in very good form.

"He came out of his last race well. Two and a half miles at Newbury was just a little bit too sharp for him.

"He's only racing over a furlong further on Wednesday, but two miles and five furlongs at Cheltenham, going up that famous hill, is very different.

"He's only a small horse, which is why we decided to miss the big Festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree, as he would have been running in bigger fields.

"This race has cut up, as we expected it to, and it has been his main target since he won at Kempton in February.

"We're looking forward to seeing him run and I don't think the quicker ground will be a problem."

Astracad, Carrickboy and Real Milan also feature in a wide-open contest.

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Hurricane Fly is on target to try for a sixth successive win at the Punchestown Festival.

The remarkable 10-year-old, who boasts a record 19 Grade One victories, is on course for the Racing Post Champion Hurdle, which he has won for the last four seasons, on May 2, while the opposition is likely to include Jezki, who had him back in fourth place when lifting the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Hurricane Fly, who also won the Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle in 2009, could be joined by his unbeaten stablemate Un De Sceaux.

"Hurricane Fly will run in the Racing Post Champion Hurdle and he is in good shape," said Mullins.

"I'm not certain where we will go next with Un De Sceaux - if he goes to Punchestown, he will run in the Champion Hurdle as well."

Another superstar aiming for a Punchestown five-timer is Quevega, in the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle on May 1 after she lifted the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham for the sixth year running.

"Although Quevega is in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders' Fund Mares Champion Hurdle on the Festival's final day, she normally goes for the stayers' race, the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle, and we would love to win it again with her for a fifth consecutive time this year," said Mullins.

The County Carlow trainer's powerful team at the five-day feast includes a possible three-pronged attack with On His Own, Boston Bob and Prince De Beauchene, on the Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup on April 30, a race he won last year with Sir Des Champs and in 2002 with Florida Pearl.

"Boston Bob has come out of his Melling Chase win in good shape and he will more than likely run in the Punchestown Gold Cup where he could take on his stablemates Prince De Beauchene and On His Own," said Mullins.

"We are hopeful that On His Own can gain compensation in the race for his short-head second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He ran a cracker there, is in excellent shape and we are really looking forward to running him at Punchestown."

The mare Annie Power, whose only defeat came when second in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham, has a number of different entries and Mullins is biding his time before deciding her Punchestown target.

"Annie Power is entered in the Racing Post Champion Hurdle, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Champion Hurdle and the Ladbroke World Series Hurdle and we will have a look at the entries closer to the time. She came out of Cheltenham well and is in good form again going into Punchestown," he said.

Glens Melody, runner-up to Quevega at Cheltenham, is to bid to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Champion Hurdle on May 3 while Champagne Fever, second in the Arkle Trophy is to step up in trip for the Growise Champion Novice Chase on April 29.

"Champagne Fever ran his heart out in Cheltenham only to go down by a head on the line. He has emerged from the Arkle in good shape and he is in all the novice races at Punchestown," said Mullins.

"It is possible he might run in one of the longer races so the Growise Champion Novice Chase is looking a likely target at this stage. We'll probably have a good crew in that race and it's possible that Djakadam, who like Champagne Fever is also owned by the Riccis, will take him on."

Mullins could also dominate the novice events with Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Vautour heading for Herald Champion Novice Hurdle on April 29, Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle victor Faugheen going for the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle on May 2 and Don Poli, winner of the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, targeting the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle on April 30.

"Vautour came out of Cheltenham in great shape and we are looking forward to running him back at Punchestown, where he won a Grade Two earlier in the season," said Mullins.

"Don Poli is entered in both the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle and the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle but the chances are that he will run in the latter race over three miles on the Wednesday. He is very, very well in himself right now.

"Faugheen is another horse who has come back from Cheltenham in good shape and he also holds entries in the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle and the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle but at the moment, I would say the former race would look a good target for him on the Friday over two and a half miles."

Ger Lyons is looking forward to seeing what Obliterator can do on the track when he starts his three-year-old campaign in the ebm-papst Feilden Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday.

The Oratorio colt, co-owned by Qatar Racing, has several lofty entries, including in the Qipco 2000 Guineas, and won his only race to date in highly promising fashion at the Curragh in September.

Lyons has brought Obliterator to Newmarket in search of suitable ground and to give him vital experience.

"He's a lovely, gorgeous-looking colt," said the County Meath handler.

"He won his maiden well and there's no reason than he needs top of the ground. We don't have that in Ireland and we don't have the race for him, so it's an obvious place to show our hand.

"I think he's a potential 10-furlong horse, so rather than going up two grades and straight into a Guineas I wanted to see him in a Listed race.

"Nine furlongs will suit and the most important thing is the ground. I couldn't be happier with the horse. The only negative is we have to travel to do it, but that's what we've got to do. He's travelled well and it will all be part of the experience."

Trainer Mark Johnson believes Somewhat will be suited by the step up in distance.

The son of Dynaformer has to give 3lb to all his rivals because of his success at this level in the Washington Singer Stakes at Newbury in August after which he was second to Berkshire in the Royal Lodge Stakes before being unplaced in the Racing Post Trophy.

"I suppose the 3lb penalty makes it more difficult than otherwise," said the Middleham handler.

"He's done very well over the winter and I think this is an obvious starting point for him. I think the trip should suit him."

Ismail Mohammed is hoping the ground will not have dried out too much for Stormardal.

The Shamardal colt won a Carlisle maiden in impressive fashion on soft ground and was not disgraced when fifth to War Command in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on his final outing last season.

"He's working very well and I think the ground will be OK," said the Newmarket trainer.

"He's doing very well. We worked him last Saturday and we are happy with him. He should run very well if we don't have any problem with the ground. Hopefully there will be enough moisture in the ground for all the horses."

Richard Hannon is happy with his two runners, Barley Mow and Truth Or Dare, as they embark upon their three-year-old campaigns.

"You can forget Barley Mow's comeback run at Lingfield recently as it turned into a three-runner farce," the trainer told www.richardhannonracing.co.uk.

"He challenged wide on the home bend and got carried into the centre of the track - had Ryan (Moore) gone inside I think he would have won, but Barley Mow will appreciate both this extra furlong and the more conventional track, and, hopefully, he can make amends here.

"We also run Truth Or Dare, who can be lazy at home but had a good blow-out at Herridge on Monday. He showed himself a smart colt, too, last year, and we are looking forward to getting him going again."

Mossey Joe could make an appearance at Cork on Monday on his way to an intended run at the Punchestown Festival.

The Enda Bolger-trained 11-year-old was all the rage for the Fox Hunters' Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree earlier this month and although he came up short, he was far from disgraced in finishing third.

Owner Barry Connell expects his charge to improve significantly for the run and he is likely to be kept in training during the summer.

Connell said: "He'll go for the big hunter chase at Punchestown, all being well, and there is a chance he'll run in a race at Cork this weekend first.

"We were very happy with how he ran in Aintree. He jumped great and I'd say he just blew up as it was his first proper run since last June. He definitely needed the run, so hopefully it will bring him on.

"We'll probably keep him on the go during the summer now and he could end up in something like the Galway Plate."