Gales can put wind up rivals
The champion jockey has been absent since fracturing his left ankle when his mount, Imperial Hills, took a fatal fall at Killarney back on May 10.
There is every possibility it will be a case of business as usual for Walsh, who has obvious prospects aboard Dual Gales in the Balbriggan Retail Park Hurdle.
The eight-year-old has clearly been difficult to train and runs far too intermittently for comfort.
Nevertheless, he will arrive here on the back of a decent effort at Tipperary four weeks ago and, hopefully, will strip in similar shape.
The selection was an easy to back 14-1 shot then, but belied the lack of confidence with a length and a half defeat of Total Excitement.
The form has been working out reasonably well, even if the somewhat enigmatic Total Excitement disappointed subsequently.
In contrast the third and fourth respectively, Ireland’s Call and Fier Destrier, both won next time.
The nap vote falls on Charles O’Brien’s Sharp Steel in the opener, the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden.
He showed plenty of speed at Naas last week, over six furlongs, when four and a half lengths second behind well-regarded Miracle Match.
Dropping down a furlong in trip is hardly a minus and, as a bonus, he has been handed an excellent draw in two.
April, who has the worst of the draw in 11, is still the choice in the Irish Mirror Maiden, also over the minimum distance.
Grabbed late by Chatline at Naas eight days ago, she will never be one for more than a minor wager, but is unlikely to be afforded a better opportunity than this!
