Patton set to take charge in maiden hurdle
The five-year-old has only run three times in his life and has plenty scope for improvement. He has been rested since taking a bumper at Limerick in early July. Quietly fancied in the market that day, Patton stayed on resolutely in the closing stages to beat Johnjoe’s Express by half a length.
Johnjoe’s Express has given the form a couple of boosts in the meantime and Meade’s charge, who has an outing over flights under his belt, gets the nap.
Meade can also supply the answer to the moderate Hacketts’ Bookmakers Beginners Chase with Blue. He found the ease in the ground against him when only eighth behind Aine Dubh over hurdles at Galway but, prior to that, finished a respectable third to Madonna Fan and Classic Note at Limerick.
Leslie Young’s dropped-in-class Fiddlers Bar should go close in the Pat Doyle Memorial (Mares) Novice Hurdle. Beaten four lengths into second by Dermot Weld’s long odds-on Mutakarrim at Cork, she faces nothing of that calibre now.
Sean Treacy’s Fieldsofclover has a decent chance in the Mullingar Maiden Hurdle. He appeared full of running when falling, when in front, three out in the contest won by Tipp Top at Tramore on Monday night.
Firaala, three parts of a length runner-up to subsequent winner, Blitzy Boy, at Galway may defy top weight in the John and Sue McKay Opportunity Handicap Chase.
