Ferny Hollow declared to make his return in Newlands Chase at Naas on Sunday

The much anticipated return of Grade 1 winner Ferny Hollow looks set to take place at Naas this Sunday. 
The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old heads six declared runners for the Grade 3 Newlands Steeplechase with a possible tilt at Cheltenham’s Champion Chase on the horizon. 
Ferny Hollow’s exciting return to action will be a big draw on a card that could include some other pointers to Cheltenham and the major spring festivals on both sides of the Irish Sea. 
Gordon Elliott’s two representatives in the Newlands Chase are both returning from mid-season breaks with Galway Plate winner Ash Tree Meadow joined in the field by Epson Du Houx, the latter being one of three Naas winners in the field. 
Ash Tree Meadow appears among the current entries for the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham as well as the Aintree Grand National among other options. 
Elliott said: “Ash Tree Meadow was given a break after he won at Down Royal and that was always the plan as he is a horse who has a liking for better ground.   
“It was hard to read too much into Down Royal as it was a two-runner race but the horse won a Galway Plate for us and owes us nothing and we’ll let him have a rattle at some big races during the spring. 
“He’s in a couple of races at Cheltenham and he is in the Grand National at Aintree and we’ll stick him in the Irish Grand National as well so he won’t be short of options and we’re looking forward to getting him back out on Sunday at Naas.”
The trainer added: “Epson Du Houx also had a little break. He is a course and distance winner around Naas and hopefully going back there can spark him up again. He’s fresh and well.” 
Last year’s Newlands Chase winner Rebel Gold is back to try win the race again for Pat Foley with Philip Enright in the saddle on this occasion.
The Barry Connell-trained Espanito Bello’s fondness of Naas is unquestionable as all five of the 10-year-olds victories have come at the Kildare venue including a Leinster National success, while the field is completed by the Keith Watson-trained Ivar The Boneless. 

Racing gets underway with the Grade 3 Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle which could begin the Cheltenham insights. 
Four of the five runners in the opening contest hold an entry in Cheltenham, including hurdling debutant Bottler’secret who is in the Triumph Hurdle for Gavin Cromwell.
Elliott is once again represented by two of his powerful string for this assignment where prolific winner Wodhooh will try to extend her sequence to six wins on the bounce alongside stable mate Pacini. 
“Wodhooh is five from five for us and has answered any question we asked of her,” Elliott said. “She doesn’t want the depths of heavy ground so a couple of dry days will do her no harm and hopefully Sunday will set her up nicely for the spring festivals.
“Pacini is a grand horse and he is in the Boodles at Cheltenham. Sunday’s run will dictate what we do with him over the coming months but we are happy with him since his last run.”

The Nas Na Riogh Novice Handicap Chase has attracted 10 runners with the Henry de Bromhead-trained pair of Percy Warner and Shantreusse heading the field. The latter will be ridden by Rachael Blackmore and hold an entry for the Trustatrader Plate Handicap Chase at Cheltenham next month. 
Some likely Cheltenham contenders are also set to line up in the Pertemps Network Group Handicap Hurdle with Maxxum topping the weights for Gordon Elliott. Martin Brassil’s Kerry National winner and Aintree Grand National entry Desertmore House also among the 16-runner field for that race. 
The first on a seven-race card on Sunday is due off at 1.25pm.