Kush can give O’Brien a boost
The daughter of Sadler's Wells showed only a little promise in a single outing as a juvenile, but there was a lot to like about her reappearance at Leopardstown last month.
She was thrown in at the deep end in a listed event and against older horses. The selection, however, came through the test with flying colours.
Not knocked about in the closing stages, Kushnarenkova stayed on really nicely to be beaten a length and three parts third behind John Oxx's well-regarded French import Perfect Hedge and Sina Cova.
Down in class, O'Brien's charge is fancied to prove too strong for Dingle Belle, a creditable half a length second to another Ballydoyle inmate, Sacrosanct, at Leopardstown in a contest which is working out nicely.
Ruby Walsh is a significant booking for Dusty Sheehy's Some Timbering in the David O'Meara and Sons Beginners Chase and the mildly frustrating seven-year-old gets the nap.
He enjoyed no luck in running when fifth of five finishers behind Tigerlion at Punchestown last week and is better judged on some previous efforts, especially his second to Lakil Princess at Fairyhouse.
