Nina Carberry hoping for fifth festival win with On The Fringe

Barry Connell’s £160,000 purchase Mossey Joe will not run at the Cheltenham Festival but could still go for the Grand National at Aintree. It has been decided that Cheltenham is just too soon for the talented hunter chaser, a leading fancy for the Foxhunters Chase.

Salsify, winner of the race in 2012 and 2013, had earlier been ruled out after knocking a joint on the home gallops. Connections of Tammys Hill are still debating whether to run Liam Lennon’s nine-year-old after defeating On The Fringe at Leopardstown last month.

Robbie McNamara was at his strongest to get the better of Nina Carberry that day but the combination have since been beaten at Fairyhouse. The heavy ground was blamed when he was only third to Warne along with a costly mistake at the third last.

Lennon’s concern is that he has not reproduced his form on three previous visits to Britain. He was beaten in bumper races at Perth and Southwell and was only sixth to Mossey Joe at Stratford.

With doubts over so many of the leading fancies, On The Fringe is the clear favourite for Enda Bolger. He was only fourth behind Zemsky in 2012 but has been running well this season.

The JP McManus-owned gelding has shown his best form on a softer surface and could provide Carberry with a fourth festival winner. Three of her four wins have come in the Cross Country Chase, all trained by Bolger.

Heads Onthe Ground won in 2007 with Garde Champetre winning in 2008 and 2009. Her other festival victory came on board Dabiroun in the Fred Winter Hurdle in 2005.

Last year Carberry sent out her first winner as a trainer last year before joining Noel Meade as an assistant. She stressed that she was as keen as ever to ride winners.

The biggest success of her career was winning the Irish National for Arthur Moore on Organisedconfusion in 2011. On The Fringe is 7-2 favourite for the Foxhunter Chase with Harbour Court at 4-1 and Tammys Hill at 6-1.