Ballyburn and Sir Gino remain on track for a blockbuster clash in the Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton on December 27th.
The pair feature among seven six-day entries for the Grade Two contest
The former made a sparkling debut over fences when winning at Punchestown in November and Willie Mullins has given him the option of travelling to England for his second start in the sphere.
Connections have been torn over which direction to go with Sir Gino this season after his scintillating win in the Bet MGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
He was a late substitute for stablemate Constitution Hill in that contest and is also entered in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle alongside his near neighbour on Boxing Day.
However, Nicky Henderson is expected to only run one in that race and reports at the back-end of this week suggested Sir Gino is set to go chasing after pleasing connections with his schooling.
Ballyburn is owned by Ronnie Bartlett, who also has horses in training with Henderson and the Lambourn trainer said: "I’m going to have a chat with my friend Ronnie tonight. I hope he’s still my friend!
“If Gino is going to lose his maiden over fences, it’s got to be worthwhile, otherwise he’d be better off as a novice next year. We’ve got to see where we are, he’s won a Grade One hurdle already this year, so I’ve got to get him to Kempton and that’s it, then we’ll find out.”
Mullins confirms Kempton plan
Ballyburn does have a Christmas option at Limerick but speaking at Thurles after Blue Velvet won the bumper, Mullins pointed towards a trip to England.
He said: “Ballyburn is in both Kempton and Limerick but it looks like Kempton for him. Hopefully there’ll be nice ground there, it suits time-wise and we might have three horses – Impaire Et Passe, Mirazur West and Sa Majeste – for the Limerick race.”
Paul Nicholls has entered Rubaud, a high-class hurdler who missed his own intended chasing debut in the Betfair Henry VIII at Sandown because of the very testing ground, and recent Newbury winner Kalif Du Berlais.
Elsewhere on the Kempton card, Edwardstone and Boothill, two of the leading two-mile chasers in the UK, could revert to handicap company in the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase.
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