Nollaig gets nod in Bumper
Nina Carberry is scheduled to take the ride, but she was removed to hospital with a suspected broken collarbone after taking a fall in the last at Punchestown yesterday.
If Carberry is absent then it will be interesting to see who the in-form trainer will look to as a replacement.
In any case, Nollaig has a decent chance, having performed with a lot of promise on his debut at Roscommon last month.
The son of Presenting went on fully four furlongs from home and looked sure to score early in the straight.
He faded somewhat in the closing stages, however, and had nothing left as eventual winner, Puyol, came with a sustained challenge to win going away by two and a half lengths.
Meade will have learned plenty from that and, whatever tactics are now adopted, we can expect another big performance from the selection.
Feature event is the Wilderness Chase and, on the handicapper’s ratings, Sher Beau is entitled to make short work of this opposition.
Philip Fenton’s charge was last seen at Killarney in May, clear when falling at the last and leaving Jim in for a very lucky victory.
Sher Beau has always promised a bit more over fences than he’s ever delivered and a chance is taken with another less than reliable sort, O’Muircheartaigh.
He is 17lbs wrong with Sher Beau, but could be best caught in the early part of the campaign. Edward O’Grady’s seven-year-old put up one of his better efforts at Punchestown last November, making all to beat the smart Knight Legend.
Absolute Image is the form horse in the Cashel Maiden Hurdle, on his fifth to Captain Cee Bee at Punchestown. The form was boosted when Jered (third) and Ridge Boy (ninth) dominated a maiden hurdle at Punchestown yesterday.
One harbours minor doubts about him staying, though, and Man Of Integrity, who showed improved form to chase home Giant Eagle at Fairyhouse last week, might prove a realistic alternative!
