Princely can be hero on first venture into handicap company
The Royal Applause gelding looked an improved performer when returning at Galway, following a break of some two and a half months.
In a maiden which housed the hot-pot De La Grandera, Princely Hero wasn't found wanting, battling on strongly to beat Mojito Royale by a head with the favourite a further two and a half lengths away in third. The selection went up just a pound for that and has obvious prospects.
Another tackling handicap company for the first time, Cloone Rocket, gets the vote in the featured Brandon Hotel Hurdle.
Charlie Swan's gelding has won two of his three races over jumps and they were both relatively soft touches.
In between those victories, however, he finished a good second behind the smart Field Commander at Killarney.
This is far and away his biggest test to date, but Cloone Rocket is progressive and fancied to beat Forthright, who was in terrific form on the flat at Galway, but just how effective he will be on this surface remains to be seen!
Swan has possibilities of a double with Sagarich in the Irish Stallion Farms' EBF Fillies Maiden. She's no great shakes, finishing well beaten in a Galway handicap on her latest appearance.
Previously, Sagarich did much better - fourth to Celtic Dance at the Curragh - and could prove good enough in a woeful contest.
Paco Jack, successful by 17 lengths on his initial pop over flights at Roscommon, cannot be opposed in the Lee Strand three-year-old Hurdle.
