Wall well in at the weights in National
Ruby Walsh is a significant booking for Enda Bolger’s charge and the nine-year-old appears to have a big chance at the weights.
He certainly made a promising reappearance in the Kerry National at Listowel when fourth behind Ponmeoath, Ballycullen Boy and Ballyagran and they all meet again.
Ponmeoath went up 9lbs for that, Ballycullen Boy was raised 6lbs and Ballyagran went up just a pound. Darby Wall then has possibilities at the revised weights, but even more important is that he went to Listowel without the benefit of a previous outing, whereas that was not the case with any of those who finished in front of him.
It is also worth referring back to the Cheltenham Festival in March and the Kim Muir. Ponmeoath finished fourth to Cloudy Lane then and was a length and a half and a place in front of Darby Wall, who now reopposes on 12lbs better terms.
The clash of those flying mares Gemini Lucy and Prairie Moonlight, in the Sherry Fitzgerald O’Malley Chase, promises to be worth the entrance fee alone.
Gemini Lucy only knows one way, hard and fast from the start. She can be absolutely brilliant, but equally takes real chances at many of her fences and arrives on the back of a poor effort over flights at Cork in July.
Preference then is for Prairie Moonlight, rested since producing a fine display to win with plenty in hand at the Galway Festival and who has shown in the past the ability to go really well fresh.
If Shuil Aris lines up for the Newenham Mulligan Novice Hurdle she would have to be fancied to make short work of her rivals.
Her seconds to Grangeclare Lark at Punchestown and Fairyhouse in the spring, they were both Grade 3’s, put Paul Nolan’s mare in a different league to this oppositon.
Having been taken out at Tipperary on Tuesday, however, you suspect she won’t face the starter unless there is a substantial amount of rain.
Mahrajaan, who will revel in the expected quick surface and who ran the race of his young life when runner-up behind Norther Bay at Tipperary last Sunday, gets the vote in the Michael Punch and Partners’ Hurdle.
At Fairyhoue this afternoon one hopes Jessica Harrington will take the wraps off Cork All Star in the Winter Festival 2007 Maiden Hurdle.
Again a drop of rain would not go astray for the initial excursion over jumps of this high-class five-year-old. He was probably over the top when meeting defeat for the first time at the Punchestown Festival in April, but showed just how good he is at Cheltenham previously when landing the Weatherbys’ Champion Bumper. Reported to have schooled nicely, this is a gentle introduction.
On a card which offers little or no betting opportunities, the rather tentative nap falls on Tom Taaffe’s Treacle in the Kentstown Beginners Chase. He didn’t reach any great heights as a hurdler, but that was never his game and Treacle did show a modicum of promise on his debut over fences when sixth to Show Blessed at Listowel. Stepping up another five furlongs in trip now is a major plus.
