Maze to put rivals in a spin
Asian Maze very much remains the selection to beat the champion Brave Inca in the Grade 1 Ballymore Properties Hatton's Grace Hurdle.
The mare, who gave former dual champion hurdler Hardy Eustace a 17 lengths beating over two and a half miles at Aintree in April, made a smashing seasonal debut in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown last month.
Over a distance - two miles - which is short of her best, Asian Maze ran race-fit Iktitaf to a length and a quarter and had Brave Inca a further seven lengths away in third.
Brave Inca is entitled to come on plenty for the outing, but it is still difficult enough to make a solid case for him reversing the placings, stepping up in trip and in testing conditions.
Fairyhouse on Sunday was called off before the start of the other Grade 1 on today's card, the Ballymore Properties Drinmore Novice Chase.
By then, however, many punters had shown their hand and King Johns Castle, so impressive at Navan, was backed from 9-2 to 5-2 favourite.
He will surely be put in as market-leader now and it seems unlikely any 9-2 will be on offer. Arthur Moore's seven-year-old is probably the one to beat, but in a wide-open event the nod falls on Mac Three.
He jumped for fun when scoring by 15 lengths at Cork, making light of the heavy ground, and could be up to making this graduation in class.
Noel Meade and Paul Carberry combine with Mac Three and could also provide the solution to both sections of the maiden hurdle with Offaly and Judge Deed.
Offaly, who made all to take a Punchestown bumper in good style and enjoyed a pop over jumps at Down Royal is the choice in the first.
Judge Deed, successful in a bumper here, made a good start over flights when ten lengths second behind Hollywood Law at Punchestown and is napped in the second.
