Quito De La Roque to miss Punchestown

Colm Murphy has decided against running Quito De La Roque in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown on Sunday.

The seven-year-old has won his last two starts at Grade One level, at Punchestown in May and on his seasonal return at Down Royal, when he came from a long way back to outstay subsequent Tingle Creek winner Sizing Europe in the JNwine.com Champion Chase.

Murphy will instead save the Gigginstown House Stud-owned star for the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, when a clash with Denman is on the cards.

After having worked Quito De La Roque on Tuesday morning, Murphy said: "He's not going to run this weekend, we're going to save him for Christmas.

"If the John Durkan had been a week earlier he would probably have run, but it falls a week later this year and it might come a bit quick before Christmas and the Lexus."