Captain can collect
His task has been made a lot easier by the defection of Vic Venturi, now re-routed to the Becher Chase at Aintree on Sunday, who would have been in the line-up had the meeting gone ahead as scheduled last Thursday.
Tom Taaffe’s ten-year-old warmed up for this test with a spin over hurdles at Thurles last month, finishing a remote fifth behind easy winner, Oscar Dan Dan. That was hardly an encouraging display, but the selection has always been a far better chaser than hurdler and comfort can be taken from that.
Watson Lake continues to disappoint, The Fonze won’t like the ground and a watching brief seems best as far as the ex-Paul Nicholls-trained Gungadu is concerned.
The biggest worry then is probably One Cool Cookie, who is entitled to come on for his fourth behind Casey Jones at Punchestown.
Willie Mullins can enjoy a a first and last race double with Fionnegas and Florida Pal. Fionnegas is unbeaten in three races, two bumpers and over flights at Ballinrobe, and will be hard to beat in the INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Novice Hurdle.
Florida Pal gets the nod in the Bumper. He won a maiden hurdle by ten lengths on this track back in March, but subsequently lost the race on a technicality.
The nap falls on Sole Power, a smooth winner on the track last time, in the 3 For Free-Wednesday Nights In November At Dundalk Race at Dundalk tonight.
