Racing: Time comes for Crop

VINTAGE CROP, Ireland's chief Champion Hurdle hope, will be schooled tomorrow to determine whether he will go to Cheltenham.

Reports of a sparkling workout on Saturday prompted Ladbrokes and William Hill to reintroduce him into the ante-post market, Ladbrokes at 10-1, Hills at 11-1.

'He has run only twice over hurdles and it is important that he gets his eye in,' Dermot Weld, his trainer, said. 'If he is not right we will keep him for the Flat.'

Morley Street, the 1991 champion, went well for his new rider, Graham Bradley, in a spin over David Elsworth's Whitsbury gallops. 'He loved the grass gallops,' his owner, Michael Jackson, said.

With the ground at Prestbury Park good to firm, Cheltenham are to begin a 'selective' watering policy to ensure that next week's Festival is not run on firm ground.

Martin Pipe's Boogie Bopper was dope tested after being pulled up at Stratford on Saturday. He was tested negative after running badly at Leicester last month and had shown signs of being ungenuine when raced on the Flat.