War can outbattle Durkanrivals
Of course the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner is far better on a decent surface, but has shown his ability to handle testing conditions in the past and can prove too strong for some decent rivals.
Mouse Morris’ charge went down by a neck to Beef Or Salmon in the James Nicholson at Down Royal last month, but the bare form still gives him an edge here.
Beef Or Salmon is a cracking horse on his day and continues to be a more than potent machine, on home soil. Previously, War Of Attrition went through the soft ground at Punchestown in fine style when easily beating Watson Lake by 11 lengths.
Nickname, who will revel in the surface, the progressive In Compliance and Justified, running over his right trip, are all entitled to plenty of respect.
The mud-loving Le Toscan can beat Leading Run in the INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Novice Hurdle. The pair clashed at Naas in October when Le Toscan beat Leading Run (gave 13lbs) by nine lengths.
At the weights, Leading Run should reverse the placings, but Le Toscan has since bolted in at Clonmel and can again emerge on top.
Cork houses a decent programme tomorrow, with Noel Meade holding solid prospects with Well Run and Rinroe. Well Run, no match for Le Toscan at Clonmel, should find the O’Connell Transport Cork Stayers’ Novice Hurdle a lot easier.
There are some interesting newcomers in the O’Connell Containers Bumper, but the once-raced Rinroe should be a difficult nut to crack. Beaten by Sizing Europe at Naas, that effort was put in perspective when Sizing Europe took a maiden hurdle at Newbury subsequently.
Feature event is the Grade 2 O’Connell Logistics Hilly Way Chase and the sponsors can be well pleased with the response. In a wide open affair the vote falls on Jim, who has the best of the weights. He showed he goes well fresh when scoring first time up at Galway last season and followed that with a career-best effort at Punchestown, touched off late by Hi Cloy in the John Durkan.
Eric McNamara’s Chicago Vic looks too good for her opponents in the ISF EBF Lombardstown Mares Novice Chase.
She was beaten eight lengths into second by Cailin Alainn at Clonmel and that performance was given a major boost when Cailin Alainn took the Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.
At Navan today, Tex Morgan gets the nap to land the second section of the Irish Stallion Owners’ EBF Maiden Hurdle. The Navan bumper winner is likely to come on a bundle for his first pop over flights behind Major Stampi, back at Navan.
Aitmatov, outclassed by Clopf at Navan, can show his appreciation of dropping down a grade, or two, in the KMCS Construction and Property Consultants’ Novice Hurdle.
