Accord the answer

By Pat Keane

Friday, November 27, 2009

RHYL ACCORD is the nap choice to defy a long absence in the Holycross Maiden Hurdle at Thurles this afternoon.

He hasn’t been seen finishing second in a winners’ bumper at Leopardstown last Christmas and, to boot, this will be his first venture over jumps.

But the selection is a promising sort, trained by a man in tremendous form, Willie Mullins, and can make light of such considerations. At Leopardstown, he was beaten a length and half by Sweeps Hill and that was a smart effort. Sweeps Hill has gone on to prove himself a decent horse and Rhyl Accord had a hard task trying to concede him 13lbs.

Jessica Harrington’s Colleoni, with three unremarkable efforts over flights in the locker, gets the vote in the Cahir Maiden Hurdle. The Sadler’s Wells gelding has shown plenty of improvement on the flat of late, however, taking a creditable fourth behind Rite Of Passage in the Leopardstown November Handicap on his latest appearance.

The Thurles Mares Maiden Hurdle is probably best left to Paul Nolan’s Revelling, who was beaten a short head by For Bill at Punchestown last time.

For Bill boosted the form in impressive fashion, completing a hat-trick of bumper successes at Navan last Sunday.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, November 27, 2009