Keep faith in J’y Vole
Willie Mullins’ mare contested the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas and was beaten almost 36 lengths in total and finished 15 lengths adrift of the sixth, Voy Por Ustedes.
But that tells far from the fully story and J’y Vole ran well for a lot of the three miles, before a tendency to jump away to her right down the back began to take its toll.
Prior to that, the selection made an excellent start to the campaign when a creditable third behind Joncol in the John Durkan at Punchestown.
Today, J’y Vole has a lot going for her. She is far better travelling right-handed, is ultra-smart when on song and this two and a half miles is her ideal trip.
Siegemaster, who ran the race of his life under a big weight when third to Whinstone Boy in the Thyestes on this track, rates the biggest worry.
The other Grade 2 on the programme, the Red Mills Trial Hurdle, can fall to Noel Meade’s very frustrating Muirhead.
He again let supporters down when failing to justify odds of 4-7 at Naas last month, going down by a short head to Ebadiyan.
When you consider Ebadiyan was a whopping 27lbs wrong with Muirhead, then you could argue the defeat was almost unforgiveable.
But the contest was over two miles and three in testing conditions and this looks far more suitable. Muirhead’s best effort this season was at Punchestown in November when allowed bowl along in front.
He was eventually beaten two and a half lengths into second by Solwhit and, hopefully, plenty of use will be made of him on this occasion.
At Navan tomorrow, Uimhiraceathair gets the nap in the Ten Up Novice Chase. He jumped like an old hand when scoring on his debut over fences at Gowran Park and is fancied to build on that.
The Boyne Hurdle is competitive, but Uimhiraceathair’s connections, Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh, could also have the solution with Mourad.
He was something of a professional loser, until beating Rubi Light by ten lengths at Punchestown. Rubi Light has since finished second again while the third and fourth respectively, Across The Bay and Blazing Tempo, both won subsequently.
Osana gets the nod in the Flyingbolt Novice Chase. You would have to say he was a trifle disappointing at Leopardstown when well beaten by Sizing Europe. Indeed, he would have finished third, but for Captain Cee Bee falling at the last.
This, however, represents a drop in class and Osana’s two victories over fences to date have, encouragingly, come at Navan.
