RACING: Le Coudray is set to join the Irish challenge for Saturday's Ritz Club Ascot Chase.

The JP McManus-owned star, runner-up to Best Mate in the Ericsson, is being lined up for a double Grade One assignment in eight days with the Hennessy at Leopardstown his target after Ascot.

"The intention is to run at Ascot but the weather looks like it might be tricky over there. We will have to keep an eye on that and see what the entries are like. But the intention is to run. I'm sure Barry (Geraghty) will want to ride," confirmed McManus's spokesman, Frank Berry, yesterday.

Florida Pearl is also an intended starter in the Ascot race over two and a half miles where Martin Pipe's Tiutchev, winner in 2001 and 2002, is set to lead the home defence.

With uncertainty about the weather in Britain this week Florida Pearl has also been left in Thursday's Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles and the Byrne Group Tied Cottage Chase over two miles at Punchestown on Sunday.

Native Upmanship also holds both the Thurles and Punchestown entries but a notable absentee from the Tied Cottage Chase is Moscow Flyer whose trainer Jessica Harrington has committed the horse to going straight for the festival.

The going at Punchestown is currently "soft" with possible snow showers forecast over the next couple of days. The main track will be used at the weekend.

Michael Hourigan again yesterday stressed he plans to be patient regarding a possible comeback by Beef Or Salmon in the Hennessy at Leopardstown on Sunday week. "He is only two pieces of work from a run but I don't want to give him those pieces of work too soon after having had mucus in his lungs," he said.

One horse that won't be travelling to Leopardstown is the French star First Gold who will instead be aimed at Newbury's Aon Chase en route to the Gold Cup. The Doumen team landed the AIG on Sunday with Foreman but Frank Berry said yesterday: "I would say he is most unlikely to travel here. If he goes anywhere it will be to Newbury."

First Gold, like Foreman owned by JP McManus, was a brilliant winner of the Heineken Gold Cup at the Punchestown Festival last summer but disappointed badly in the 2002 Ericsson at Leopardstown.

Meanwhile, Davy Russell, fired from his job with Ferdy Murphy in England last week, has wasted little time securing a new employer and will ride as first jockey to Naas-based Michael O'Brien.

The pair have formalised an arrangement following their success at Leopardstown over the weekend with Bennie's Pride.

"I had one or two horses committed to Ruby (Walsh) but once that was sorted out we decided Davy Russell will be riding most of mine. It suits both of us," O'Brien said last night.