Make it Moulin
Willie Mullins’s charge will relish every yard of this two and a half miles and the chances are Ruby Walsh will ask questions of his rivals a far way from home.
The selection has been rested since finishing third to Star Of Bethlehem and stable companion, Major Burns, at Punchestown in early May, but fitness is rarely a worry with horses from this yard.
La Mandragola, not disgraced when eighth to Brave Inca at Punchestown and Red Square Lady, five lengths runner-up behind the smart Phariva on this track, are two worthy opponents but Lasquini Du Moulin is fancied to outstay them both.
The unpenalised Duke Of Buckingham, trained in England by Paul Webber, is a fascinating challenger for the betdaq.com Hurdle. Best known as a chaser, he made a belated debut over flights at Stratford last month, cruising to a six lengths success in a moderate event.
Previously, this time over fences, Duke Of Buckingham ran a cracker at Sandown to fill fourth spot behind the classy Paul Nicholls trained Cenkos.
He’s a horse who likes to go out hard from the front and may take a lot of pegging back, over a track which favours trail-blazers.
Jim Bolger’s Leeside Music is very much the one to beat in the nine furlongs Tolpuddle Maiden.
She showed she had gone the right way from two to three when beaten a head by Trefflich at the Curragh with subsequent winner, Asanine, behind in fourth.
The Byrne Handicap Chase is wide open, but probably best left to Danaeve, who scored with plenty in hand at Tipperary on Thursday night.
At Down Royal today, Kilmore Princess can lose her bridesmaid’s tag by landing the Ladies’ Day Fillies Maiden.
It has to be said she has flattered once too often for comfort and has fillied the second slot now three times in-a-row.
She again looked sure to score at Tipperary on her latest appearance, but was grabbed close home and beaten three parts of a length by Straycat Strut.
That followed on a similar tale of woe at Roscommon, although she was genuinely outclassed by Dangle at Leoaprdstown.
It is now or never for the daughter of Orpen, from a favourable draw and against weak opposition, with the possible exception of Cautiously.
Stuttgart, touched off by Solemn Promise at Limerick, can set the record straight in the Summer Handicap. Persistent rain had edged the ground on the soft side then and Eddie Lynam’s mare will be far more at home on this surface!
