Fairyhouse or Punchestown next for Final Demand

The WillowWarm Gold Cup is a possibility for Final Demand, as connections eye one more run this term after the exciting novice chaser roared back to form at the Cheltenham Festival.

Owned by Bryan Drew and Professor Caroline Tisdall and trained by Willie Mullins, he left behind a disappointing display at the Dublin Racing Festival to go down fighting in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, beaten less than a length by stablemate Kitzbuhel.

It was a performance that served as a reminder of his class and he is set to be given the chance to add to his Grade One haul when either dropping back in distance at Fairyhouse over the Easter period or heading to the Punchestown Festival.

Drew said: “I was very pleased with how Final Demand ran at Cheltenham as he jumped and travelled and just got outstayed in the final few strides by Kitzbuhel. They are two really nice horses and I’d like to think we could reverse the form one day.

“He is in the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on April 5. I’m not sure if he will or won’t run but it might be a question of running him while the ground is safe rather than risk waiting for Punchestown.

“He will run at Fairyhouse or Punchestown I would say and then we’ll look ahead to next year.”

As well as showing his true colours last week, Final Demand also reignited Gold Cup dreams for his Cheltenham-loving owners, who are very excited to see how much progression there is to come from a seven-year-old still in the infancy of his career.

Drew added: “I think he’s the right profile of horse for a Gold Cup, a beautiful jumper and traveller. I do think next year is going to be exciting.

“I don’t think he’s been 100 per cent this season – he was under the weather at Leopardstown – and I think considering that he has run very well. I think with another summer on his back and a clear run you will see an even better horse next season.”