Make it Meso to go one better
Now in the care of Michael O’Brien, the Sadler’s Wells gelding made a good start to his new career at Limerick 19 days ago.
It was only in the final stride he was denied by What’s Up Doc, going down by the minimum margin.
The surface may have been plenty quick enough for the selection then, he won his maiden on soft ground, and Ruby Walsh replacing a relatively inexperienced 7lbs claimer is an obvious bonus.
Walsh teams up with Kinger Rocks For Dermot Weld in the Kildare Nationalist Hurdle and the in-form mare, fresh from a smooth victory on the flat at Downpatrick last weekend, has to be respected.
Preference, however, is for Earth Magic, representing the Bowe family.
He was beaten a length and a half into second spot by Kinger Rocks at the Punchestown Festival and has a clear chance of reversing placings on 7lbs better terms.
Oscar’s Advance would prefer further than two miles, but still looks the one to be on in the Mongey Communications Chase.
He didn’t have a lot on his plate on his initial attempt at fences when scoring by six lengths at Tipperary, but impressed the way he went about his business.
If Chelsea Harbour reproduces his performance when beaten a neck by Sir Overbury at Punchestown, he is going to take all the beating in the At The Races Hurdle.
At Gowran Park tomorrow Brave Falcon, a huge disappointment last time, is given another chance in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden for juveniles.
He ran no sort of race, on quick ground, when ninth of 13 last month in the contest won by Finsceal Beo at Leopardstown.
Previously, on heavy ground at Tipperary, it appeared as if it was simply a matter of time before Brave Falcon got off the mark when a promising fourth behind Twenty Questions, in a contest which has been working out reasonably well.
Dermot Weld trains Brave Falcon and has possibilities as well with Royal Intrigue in the Kilkenny Handicap.
The son of Royal Applause performed solidly when runner-up to Poseidon Adventure at Gowran Park and was left on his original mark.
Akimbo, a more than useful sort when trained in England by Henry Cecil, has a lot in hand at the weights in the Gowran Park race over seven furlongs and only has to put his best foot forward to score.
Snow Gretel, a beautifully-bred daughter of Green Desert, gets the nod in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for three-year-olds.
At Navan tomorrow Adamant Approach, though now a 12-year-old, showed at Killarney recently he was far from a back number when second to Brogella and the conditions of the Newgate Hurdle are stacked in his favour.
