Enda Bolger has pinned his sights on next month’s Glenfarclas Cross County Chase with Josies Orders following his win at Punchestown on Sunday.
Josies Orders finished a length second behind Any Currency in 2016 only to be awarded the race later after the winner was disqualified.
Back there last year, the JP McManus-owned runner was a distant sixth as subsequent Grand National winner Tiger Roll won for Gordon Elliott.
Josies Orders came through smoothly to win the P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase at Punchestown from Hurricane Darwin on Sunday.
It was a race he’d finished second to stablemate Auvergnat in last year and Bolger was delighted to score this time around. All roads now lead to Cheltenham next month, says the legendary Cross Country trainer.
“You probably know where we are heading [next],” he told reporters.
“He stays well and sees it out, and we’ll try to keep him in one piece now for March.
“They weren’t bad horses in it this year, it was a good test and the timing is just right. “His ears were pricked and that’s why those things (blinkers) are on him. I’m chuffed with that, and it’s poignant that it was in the race for my old boss.”
Bolger will be hoping Josies Orders can put his name in the history books once more as the King of the Cross Country race. The Limerick-based handler has taken the race on five occasions since it was added to the Festival programme in 2005.
Josies Orders is 7.00 to win the race on March 13, while Tiger Roll is favourite at 3.50 to defend his crown.
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