Side with Sli
His Geill Sli, despite reservations regarding the seven-year-old's ability to handle the likely testing conditions, gets the nap to take the www.punchestown.com Maiden Hurdle at the Kildare track today.
Geill Sli hasn't been seen since disappointing on his debut over jumps here in early December. He trailed in a well beaten 14th of 20 in the contest won by According To Billy.
Perhaps, it was the surface which saw him perform so poorly, but it is also well to remember that Meade's charge made a dreadful blunder at the first and was always fighting a losing battle afterwards.
He is easily the best horse in the race, having won no less than three bumpers and looking a possible star of the future.
Geill Sli has been given plenty of time to mature and if his trainer is happy to start him back on this sort of ground then who are we to argue!
Pay It Forward, following a ten lengths second to impressive stable companion and subsequent Leopardstown Grade One winner, Carrigeen Victor, at Gowran Park will be a popular choice in the Club Fundraisers at Punchestown Beginners Chase.
But he definitely wants better ground to produce his best and preference is for GVA Ireland, who ran below what was expected at Punchestown in late December when beaten 15 lengths by Lincam.
Hasty Second, who scampered to a seven lengths success at Thurles last Thursday, has a leading chance of defying a mandatory 6lbs penalty in the moderate Event Centre Handicap Hurdle.
The ordinary Tycoon Hall, third to market leader Pom Flyer at Naas, will get few more attractive opportunities than the one afforded him in the April Festival Maiden Hurdle.
Coolnahilla, sure to win at Naas when slipping badly at the back of the last in the contest won by Darrens Last, is the one to beat in the Ruby's Double Handicap Chase.
