CONEYGREE’S weight-carrying capabilities are set to be tested with an enterprising crack at the Kerry National at Listowel on September 13.

The 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, from Mark Bradstock’s Letcombe Bassett stables, near Wantage, finished third to Sizing John in the Coral Punchestown Gold Cup in April.

Now he is set to return to Ireland to run in a handicap for the first time with connections keen to find out how he will fare under what will almost certainly be top weight ahead of a potential tilt at the Ladbrokes Trophy – formerly the Hennessy Gold Cup – at Newbury on December 2.

Bradstock’s wife and assistant, Sara, explained: “The idea of going to Listowel is we’ll get a run in early and that will give us a couple of months before one of the races at the end of November.

“One thing we don’t know is whether lesser horses carrying ten stone can go the pace he can with top-weight.

“I don’t think they will be able to, but we’ll find that out in the Kerry National and it will help us decide whether we can try to do the same thing at Newbury, instead of going to Haydock for the Betfair Chase.”

She added that Coneygree had thrived since his trip to Punchestown, which was his first appearance since finishing runner-up to Cue Card in the Betfair Chase at Haydock last November.

She said: “He’s running around like an idiot again now and touching every piece of wood I can find - right now he feels as good as he did before he won the Gold Cup.”

Meanwhile, Take Two, from Alex Hales’s Edgcote stables, near Banbury, provided Jamie Brace with his first winner under rules in an amateur riders’ handicap at Windsor on Sunday.

Wantage trainer Henry Candy landed a 6-1 double on the same card courtesy of Boreagh Lass and Angel Down with Harry Bentley and Dane O’Neill in the saddle respectively.

Blewbury handler Eve Johnson Houghton struck at the Thameside track earlier in the week with Ice Age, ridden by Edward Greatrex.

Charlie Longsdon is to throw open the doors of his Chipping Norton stables to the public on Saturday, September 16.

Visitors will be able to see members of his 80-plus string, which includes the likes of Our Kaempfer, Forth Bridge and Snow Leopardess, in the yard at Hull Farm from 1pm.

A schooling session and parade of horses will follow. Admission is free.