Castleset to make it third time lucky
Joe Crowley’s gelding has proved a costly failure in his two excursions thus far, he went off favourite in both, but there are solid reasons for believing him capable of getting off the mark now.
At Tralee, a lack of a recent outing and very testing conditions found him out and he failed to cope with Meet The Family.
He was then well backed to set the record straight at Listowel, but went under by three parts of a length to Show Blessed.
Clearly no star, Druids Castle is nevertheless a useful enough sort in his own right, who jumps for fun and is fancied to prove too strong for this opposition.
Best horse on view is Michael Phillips’ Powerstation in the Vendee Hurdle. The seven-year-old has a bright future and will make short work of these on his best form.
The selection rounded off last season with a splendid two and a half lengths second to Refinement in a Grade 1 at the Punchestown Festival and that puts him in a different league to his six rivals.
Edward O’Grady’s Fen Game is the choice in the Cashel Maiden Hurdle. The five-year-old was returning from a break when fifth to Good Harvest at Clonmel last month and will surely strip fitter on this occasion.
The Killinan three-year-old Maiden Hurdle is probably best left to Right Or Wrong, trained by in-form Noel Meade.
He appears to be taking a minor drop in class, having finished fourth to stable companion, Silverhand, at Punchestown last week.
