IT has been a tough week for officials at Fairyhouse trying to beat the freeze and fingers remain crossed that the card gets the green light following a 7.30am raceday inspection.

If the meeting does go ahead as scheduled, one of the more popular results in the €100,000 feature SBK Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase (1.45) would be if 12-year-old veteran Rebel Gold managed to reclaim his crown for trainer Pat Foley.

A ready nine-length winner of the Grade 3 handicap two years ago off a mark of 136, he’s now back down to a chase rating of 140 (from a high of 147) and Conor Smithers claims a handy 7lb this weekend.

He wasn’t too far off the leading players when sixth in a similar event at this season’s Fairyhouse Winter Festival, and there was a flicker of hope in what he showed over hurdles last time when sixth in an 18-runner handicap at Thurles before Christmas.

Foley told The Irish Field: “It was a pity to miss the Dan Moore with him last year but it’s definitely worth a shot again because it does suit him. We’re hoping for the best. The ground would have been too quick for him when he was sixth there in November; the softer the better for him.

“I know he’s 12 but he’s holding onto plenty of ability. We’re under no illusions as to how tough it’s going to be and we felt we had to claim off him to get him down to a similar weight to when he won. He goes there with a chance, while still appreciating the task at hand.”

Foley will be eager for racing to go ahead as he saddles one of the leading fancies in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Rated Novice Chase (2.51) later in the afternoon. The J.P. McManus-owned Verdant Place got back on winning tracks at Navan last month and bids to follow up here.

“Both horses should handle the ground if racing goes ahead,” said Foley. “It was good to get the win into Verdant last time. Hopefully he’ll progress through his season from there.”