Row in with Vic despite trip
This two miles and a furlong is well short of the imposing seven-year-old’s best trip, but Ted Walsh’s charge is still a reasonably confident choice.
He comes here on the back of a mildly disappointing effort in the Grade One Moriarty Chase at Leopardstown last month, fading from the second last when fifth behind The Railway Man.
Previously, Southern Vic produced a spectacular display, over three miles, when slamming the smart Church Island by 12 lengths at Naas.
Majlis, in receipt of 18lbs and possibly in need of the run when third to Mansony at Naas 13 days ago, is the danger.
The dropped-in-class Tom Taaffe trained Finger Onthe Pulse is the nap choice in the 28-runner opening Hill Of Tara Novice Hurdle.
Successful in a maiden at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting, he then returned to that venue to contest a Grade Three.
Finger Onthe Pulse finished a well beaten third behind Nicanor and Travino. That form got a massive boost at Cheltenham, however, when Nicanor beat Denman in the SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle and Travino took third to Black Jack Kethcum and Powerstation in the Brit Insurance Novices’ Hurdle.
Nickname is fancied to run his rivals ragged in a fascinating little four-runner Un Uaimh Chase.
Martin Brassil’s French-import was impressive on his first two outings in this country, but the wheels have since come off a little.
He burst a blood vessel when pulled up in the Arkle at Leopardstown and was beaten a length and a half by Sir Oj over two miles at Naas last time.
Today’s two and a half will be far more suitable and a relatively fresh Nickname can make all, with his two main opponents, Hi Cloy and Watson Lake, having been to Cheltenham.
Firth Of Forth , Patsy Hall and Mattock Ranger are the three to concentrate on in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Novice Hurdle and it is the last named who gets the nod.
Mattock Ranger has to step up on his defeat of Talktothetail and Imperial Sun at Thurles to win this, but is a horse with plenty of scope and can do just that.
Cork tomorrow is subject to a 7.30 inspection on Sunday morning, but hopes are high the meeting will get the all clear.
Massive fields make this a very difficult card for punters and there is no great cause for optimism. Sher Why Not, a creditable third to Vintage Gold and Schindlers Hunt at Leopardstown, a race which is working out well, can take the Kanturk Maiden Hurdle.
The new flat campaign begins at the Curragh tomorrow and, with the sground set to be testing, this will be no more than a guessing game. Care And Share, who shaped as if he would benefit greatly from the outing when second to Failte Arais at Leopardstown last month, gets a hopeful nap to land the Rockview Bumper.
