Make it Montana
This was always going to be his game and, despite the huge field, you cannot make a solid case for too many of his rivals.
The selection was well below the best as a novice hurdler, but was useful in his own right all the same.
Among his better efforts was finishing second to Wins Now at Punchestown and, also at Punchestown, he took his maiden in smooth style from subsequent winner, Bad Day Bad Day.
Feature event is the Grade 2 National Lottery Agent Champion Chase and this very much centres on the jumping performance of Justified.
He is good enough to outclass the opposition, but his tendency to jump away to the left is a major worry on this right-handed track.
The credit side is that Justified always goes well in the early part of the season and will also revel in the surface. Hopefully, Ruby Walsh will find the key and Justified has to get the vote.
Walsh also has possibilities aboard Uncle Junior and El Cerro. Uncle Junior certainly caught the eye at Listowel, fifth to Life For Rent, and is fancied to step up on that effort in the Laharts Audi Maiden Hurdle.
El Cerro, who buckled rather dramatically close home when beaten by Revisionist at Tramore, could be worth another chance in the Kilford Arms three-year-old Hurdle.
At Tipperary tomorrow, Cool Running can get back on the winning trail in the O’Dwyer Steel Like-A Butterfly Novice Chase.
Two and a half miles and a flat track are perfect for Christy Roche’s smart seven-year-old, having been outstayed over three by Whataboutya at Clonmel last Sunday.
Definate Spectacle, who has had his problems in the past, seemed to have left them behind when cruising to victory at Cork last time and gets the vote in the valuable Killerk Construction Tipperary Hurdle.
