Meade eyeing Dublin Racing Festival for Blake

Noel Meade’s promising hurdler Blake has the Dublin Racing Festival on his agenda after just missing out on the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse.

The five-year-old is a dual-purpose performer who ran to a mark of 94 on the level before switching codes and beginning his hurdling career with Meade last season.

This term he limbered up with a winning run on the Flat in the October Handicap at Leopardstown, after which he turned his attentions back to jumping with a maiden hurdle win at Down Royal.

He stepped up to Grade Two class at Fairyhouse in late November, and was just pipped at the post by Gordon Elliott’s Koktail Brut when second by a head in the Royal Bond.

Meade said of the gelding: “Blake could go to the Dublin Racing Festival, there’s a novice hurdle for him there.

“He ran a good race, he just made a bit of a mistake away from the last and that probably cost him the race.

“He looks like a nice horse, he’s a very tall and leggy horse and that’s why we’ve decided just give him plenty of time.

“That seems to be working and he’s in good shape, we’ll keep our fingers crossed that he can stay that way.”