Time to seize the Moment
In theory it should be easy for Solerina, who has 12lbs in hand of her only serious rival. But whether this smashing mare will stay three miles on this stiff track is open to question.
Certainly, she struggled in the closing stages of the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, finishing a remote fourth behind Iris’s Gift.
Solerina as well has had some very hard races of late, although the credit side is that she loves Navan.
Preference is for Emotional Moment, who is rapidly going forward and will strip fresh and well.
He came right back to his best when winning a distance over this trip at Leopardstown at Christmas and then slammed the smart Homer Wells, in another three miler, by 25 lengths at Gowran Park.
Jessica Harrington’s Ulaan Bataar puts his new found status to the test in the Flyingbolt Novice Chase.
Ordinary enough over flights, he produced a career-best by a long way when trouncing Foreman by nine lengths in the Arkle Cup at Leopardstown.
If he’s as good as he looked then, the eight-year-old should be able to take this on the way to the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham.
The progressive Point Barrow is fancied to complete a hat-trick in the Ladbroke Ten Up Novice Chase.
He jumps and stays and there was plenty to like about the manner in which he beat Lincam by a comfortable two and a half lengths at Naas last time.
Another horse very much going forward is Travino, successful at Naas and Leopardstown, and Mags Mullins’ charge gets the nod in the Bumper.
At Gowran Park today champion hurdler Hardy Eustace should enjoy the ideal warm-up, before another visit to Prestbury Park, in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle.
He showed in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown last month that he has lost little of his sparkle when a short head and a head third behind Macs Joy and Brave Inca.
On a card with very few betting opportunities, Ivan De Vonnas is a hopeful nap choice in the Walsh Toyota Beginners Chase.
He missed a couple of seasons through injury, but appeared in reasonable order when third to Ulaan Bataar and Kahuna at Punchestown recently.
The classy Rathgar Beau, who was far too good for Central House at Thurles, is hard to oppose in the Red Mills Chase.
