Frankie John back in the Grade One picture at Naas

Denis Hogan will consider allowing Frankie John to make a quick reappearance in the rescheduled Ballymore Novice Hurdle at Naas on Friday.

The grey opened his account over hurdles with a hard-fought victory at Leopardstown over the Christmas period, narrowly beating Gordon Elliott’s dual bumper winner and hot favourite Jalon d’Oudairies.

Frankie John was not among the final field for the Grade One feature when it was originally meant to be run on Sunday, but with the meeting postponed due to a frozen track and entries for the main event reopened, trainer and rider Hogan has been given a previously unplanned opportunity.

He said: “To be honest he’s still not certain to go there, I just thought we’d leave him in for now.

“He came out of Leopardstown great and was in super form this morning, so I said maybe we’ll leave him in for a look.

“It is only going to be 11 days since he ran, but he is very well and I wouldn’t rule it out. He’s a good horse and he’s going to take them on at some stage, it might just be sooner than we thought.

“We were going to wait until the end of the month and the DRF (Dublin Racing Festival), but if he’s well during the week we might consider it.”

After winning his sole start in the Irish point-to-point field, Frankie John was actually knocked down to top bloodstock agent Tom Malone for £275,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale in December 2024, but he subsequently returned to Ireland.

“He got sold but he did have a foot issue,” Hogan explained.

“We got that sorted and he’s been 100 per cent since. The owners bought him to be sold originally but it didn’t happen and they’re having good fun with him now, so hopefully he’ll bring them to a few festivals.”

Frankie John is one of 13 entries for the Ballymore Novice Hurdle, with Elliott leaving in Classical Creek, Kazansky, Kovanis, Lord Rouge and Road Exile.

Willie Mullins has Saint Baco and Sortudo in contention, while Declan Queally’s I’ll Sort That is an obvious contender after completing a hat-trick in the Grade Three For Auction Novice Hurdle at Navan.

John McConnell’s Heads Up, the Tony Mullins-trained Letos and Fruit De Mer from Henry de Bromhead’s yard also feature.