Thursday, December 24, 2009
IT is not beyond the bounds of possibility that the McNamara brothers, Andrew and Robbie, will take Leopardstown by storm on Stephen’s Day.
Firstly, Andrew is fancied to guide Alaivan to success in the Grade 2 inforthenight.ie Novice Hurdle.
Formerly, a smart sort on the flat for John Oxx, Alaivan made a smashing start over jumps when scoring by 15 lengths from Leblon, a winner next time, at Gowran Park 15 days ago.
His jumping was impressive and the Kalanisi gelding is fancied to take this step up in class in his stride.
Andrew partners Osana in the Grade 1 Bord na Mona with Nature Novice Chase, a contest which promises to be one of the highlights of the entire Christmas.
This will tell us whether Sizing Europe is indeed a worthy favourite for the Arkle at Cheltenham. Henry de Bromhead's seven-year-old has hardly had to break out of a canter to win his three races over fences and if he can put Osana and Captain Cee Bee firmly in their places then that will be far in advanace of what has been achieved so far.
He may well do just that, but Sizing Europe has curled up once too often for comfort and Osana gets preference.
He was especially good at Navan last time and is is well to remember had the class to finish second in a Champion Hurdle, when trained by David Pipe.
Robbie McNamara too has real prospects of a first and last race double, with Rite Of Passage and Elegant Concorde.
Rite Of Passage, last seen when producing an excellent display to land the Leopardstown November Handicap by eight lengths, has reportedly schooled nicely and can take the Bord na Mona Clean Air Maiden Hurdle.
Elegant Concorde, beaten a length by the ultra-smart Tornedo Shay here back in January, has been given lots of time to mature and is the nap choice in the Bumper.
At Limerick on Saturday, Sports Line gets the vote to take the featured Grade 2 Guinness Greenmount Park Novice Chase.
There is a suspicion he prefers to go left-handed, but is worth risking, considering the superb start the six-year-old made over fences at Navan when scoring unextended by nine lengths.
Rigour Back Bob, who seemed unsuited to a speed track like Thurles when winning there last Sunday, can complete a hat-trick in the O’Kelly Bros Contractors’ Hurdle.
Hellyhunter, noted running on late over two miles behind Kauto Relko at Cork, should relish the extra six furlongs of the Anglo Printers’ Maiden Hurdle and is the one to beat.
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