3 minute read

Gold Cup target – but Ryanair option to be ‘left open’

Noel Meade has stressed Road To Respect will be left in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham as well as the Magners Gold Cup, as connections consider the best target for his Festival return.

The eight-year-old is no stranger to the showpiece meeting, winning the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate in 2017 and finishing fourth to Native River in the blue riband 12 months ago.

This season the Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding has won the JNWine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal, before not enjoying the best of luck in the Savills Chase when third to Kemboy over Christmas.

His most recent effort saw him beaten just a short head by Bellshill in the Unibet Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

Meade said: “Road To Respect is in good form. He has one piece of work to do and that should leave him right.

“He’s in good shape and fingers crossed everything will go well between now and the Gold Cup.”

He did, though, caution: “Road To Respect is going to be entered for the Ryanair as well. That option is going to be left open. He’s very good and will do a bit of work on Tuesday.

“The plan all along was to go for the Ryanair with Tout Est Permis and he probably will go. He’s in great form.”