Henry de Bromhead is considering a tilt at the Coral Punchestown Gold Cup with his Cheltenham Festival hero Balko Des Flos.
The seven-year-old provided Ryanair and Gigginstown House Stud supremo Michael O'Leary with a long-awaited first victory in the Ryanair Chase at Prestbury Park, flooring defending champion Un De Sceaux in the process.
He will be given the option of running in the Melling Chase at Aintree next Friday, but could instead remain on home soil and step up in distance.
"We are thinking of the Punchestown Gold Cup, although he'll also be entered at Aintree in the two-and-a-half-mile race. He seems in good form and is well," said de Bromhead. "I don't think a step up in trip at Punchestown is an issue as he ran very well at Leopardstown over three miles and he won a Galway Plate over two miles and six-and-a-half furlongs. He's got Grade One form over three miles, so we'll see. Some nice jumping ground would be ideal.
"I was hoping for a good run at Cheltenham as our lad ran great at Christmas, although Un De Sceaux looked like he was going to be hard to beat."
Balko Des Flos is one of 29 entries for the Punchestown Gold Cup, with title-chasing trainers Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott both well represented with six contenders each.
Reigning champion Mullins has Bellshill, Djakadam, Killultagh Vic, Pairofbrowneyes, Total Recall and Yorkhill in the mix.
Elliott's team is made up of Monday's Irish Grand National hero General Principle, A Toi Phil, Lord Scoundrel, Outlander, Shattered Love and Tiger Roll.
Joseph O'Brien has entered Irish Gold Cup hero Edwulf and Noel Meade has both Cheltenham Gold Cup fourth Road To Respect and Disko, who could make his first appearance since winning at Down Royal in November.
The four British-trained hopefuls are Harry Fry's American, the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Minella Rocco, Colin Tizzard's Sizing Granite and Definitly Red from Brian Ellison's yard.
Definitly Red was sixth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month and also has the option of running in the Betway Bowl at Aintree next Thursday.
"I've entered him in the Punchestown Gold Cup and it depends on the ground at Aintree as to where we go," said Ellison. "I haven't over-trained him since Cheltenham, obviously. He had a hard enough race in the Gold Cup where the ground was bottomless and we won't know its effects until he runs. He's definitely a very good horse and he's class."
The Gold Cup is one of two Grade Ones on the second day of the Punchestown Festival, the other being the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle.
This three-mile contest has attracted 38 entries including Tizzard's Albert Bartlett winner Kilbricken Storm, Elliott's Samcro and the Mullins-trained Next Destination.
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