Punchestown the focus for Gold Cup absentee Coney Island

EDDIE HARTY is unlikely to bring Coney Island back to Britain for a run at the Aintree Festival in April.

The County Kildare trainer had hoped to run his Grade 1-winning chaser in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but decided to scrap that grand plan following a disappointing run at Ascot in February.

With the Cheltenham Festival off the agenda and Harty set to resist the temptation of the Grand National meeting at Aintree, thoughts will now turn towards the Punchestown Festival at the end of the season.

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Harty said: "He was fine after Ascot and nothing came to light.

"It might have been the 'bounce' factor, or he might have just had an off-day – we just don't know.

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"It's hard to face into a Cheltenham Gold Cup on the back of that, so we'll probably wait until Punchestown. If we find something in between, great.

"I don't think we'd go to Liverpool (Aintree) as it would be too sharp for him."

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