Salvator Mundi should deliver over fences at Thurles

Kappa Jy Pyke and Danny Mullins (left) win the Thurles Racecourse Beginners Steeplechase from Salvator Mundi (right). Pic: Healy Racing Photo.

Salvator Mundi is the star attraction on Thursday’s Thurles card and, while he won’t be a backable price in the Horse & Jockey Beginners Chase, it’ll be a big surprise if the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old fails to make it third time lucky over fences.

Admittedly, the Grade One-winning hurdler did fluff his lines when sent off at similarly prohibitive odds on his chasing debut at this venue in November but Kappa Jy Pyke, the horse that beat him that day, has since won a Grade Three at Punchestown, beating subsequent Dublin Racing Festival victor Jacob’s Ladder into second in the process so the form looks far better now than it appeared at the time.

On the back of his Thurles defeat, Salvator Mundi was pitched into Grade One company at Leopardstown at Christmas, finishing a distant sixth behind Romeo Coolio.

That was a somewhat underwhelming effort but even a repeat of that run in these calmer waters should be enough to see him get off the mark over fences.

Mullins and Paul Townend have a number of great chances through the card and Laurets d'Estruval appeals as the bet of the day in the Holycross Maiden Hurdle.

This French recruit made his Irish debut in a 17-runner maiden hurdle at Limerick on St Stephen’s Day, finishing second to Starting Fifteen, a horse who ran well for a long way in the Grade One contest won by Talk The Talk on Sunday.

With further improvement anticipated, Laurets d'Estruval gets the vote to get the better of Le Labo, the most obvious threat to the selection.

Fou De Toi, another French recruit, makes his Closutton in the www.thurlesraces.ie Maiden Hurdle and ought to be hard to beat. The Emmet Mullins-trained Vitorio Piel looks the biggest danger.

The Paul Nolan team are in fine form at present and his Gin Tonic has leading claims in the Thurles Rated Novice Hurdle.

A close second to Champion Bumper favourite Love Sign d’Aunou in a point-to-point last April, the No Risk At All gelding made a winning start to life over hurdles when winning at Wexford in October before finding only L' Evangeliste at Fairyhouse last time out.

He can get back to winning ways here.

Darren Norris' picks: 

Thurles

1.07 Salvator Mundi 

1.42 Blue Hop 

2.17 Laurets d'Estruval (Nap) 

2.52 Fou De Toi 

3.27 Gin Tonic (NB) 

4.02 Snow Punt 

4.37 Thinkitdontjinxit 

Next best 

1.07 Fishery Lane 

1.42 Kilbrin Rocco 

2.17 Le Labo 

2.52 Vitorio Piel 

3.27 Welonlyhavedone 

4.02 Empire Walk 

4.37 Greenhills Of Cork