LATEST Exhibition may be rested until the Dublin Racing Festival on February 1st, according to owner-breeder Jim Mernagh. The Paul Nolan-trained gelding won the Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle on December 15th, claiming the scalp of Andy Dufresne in the process.

The winner of that race frequently turns out in early January for the Grade 1 novice hurdle at Naas but that is unlikely to happen this season.

Mernagh said: “I’m from the old school that believes you shouldn’t go to the well too often. He had a hard race last weekend. He was possibly a bit flat the time before [finished second to Abacadabras] as the race came too soon after his Galway win. The horse is 100% sound but we could leave him now until something like the Golden Cygnet at Leopardstown.”

Rumours circulating this week that the horse had been sold out of the yard are wide of the mark. Mernagh said: “I’ve heard this from lots of people and there have been offers but I can tell you it’s utter garbage. The horse has not been sold and is still with the Nolans.”