Back On Top set for Plate glory
A versatile sort, the nine-year-old warmed up for this by landing a tough Curragh handicap 17 days ago.
Running over two miles and strongly handled by Seamus Heffernan, Back On Top went to the front over two furlongs down and stayed on in great style to hold Blue Away by a neck.
That was the first outing for the selection since he turned in an impressive display to score by 20 lengths over fences at the Punchestown Festival in May.
He was, of course, flattered by that margin, because his closest pursuer, The Dell, well held at the time admittedly, parted company with his rider two out.
Back On Top went up 14lbs for that, but this progressive sort looks sure to run a big race.
Others for the short list are Ansar, Risk Accessor, Kadoun, recently bought by J P McManus, and Lord Of The Turf.
Ansar appears to have been laid out especially for this and he’s a real course specialist, having won no less than five times round here.
Risk Accessor, smooth victor over flights at Tipperary recently, was fourth last year, while the tough Kadoun scored on the level at Bellewstown of late.
Lord Of The Turf is another course specialist and the fact he is ridden by Barry Geraghty, who could have partnered a number of these, is highly significant.
Direct Bearing, although he won’t be in love with the ground, has sufficient class to pull him through the HP Services Classic Hurdle.
He ran reasonably well in a ladies race at the Curragh last time, finishing fourth behind Kiteflyer.
Paddy Mullins’ Learn To Dance gets the nap to take the HP Image and Digital Printing Maiden.
He has been showing steady improvement, performing solidly on his latest appearance in a Curragh handicap when sixth behind Ivowen.
Learn To Dance is rated 10lbs below likely favourite, Hazelhatch, but that is not a major worry against a horse who is largely unreliable.
