Knight Legend looks poised to get off mark over fences
Since being launched over fences, Jessica Harrington’s charge has been plagued by indifferent jumping, but if he is ever to put in a faultless round then it surely will be over the gentle obstacles on this track. The nine-year-old ran a cracker at Clonmel last time in a Grade 2, particularly when you consider he blundered badly at the very first fence.
Knight Legend soon worked into the contest, however, to finish a well beaten, but creditable, eight lengths second to Mossbank.
That effort was put in context at Leopardstown last week when Mossbank got to within four lengths of Denman in the Lexus Chase.
Our Ben, who comes here on the back of two excellent efforts at Thurles (three miles) and Cork (two miles), is currently in the form of his life and looks easily the biggest danger.
Major Sensation, who landed a decent gamble at Leopardstown four days ago, has to be fancied to win again in the David Flynn Construction Novice Handicap Hurdle.
Backed from 10-1 to 11-2, he stayed on powerfully to score by a length and three parts and is well capable of defying a mandatory 6lbs penalty.
Sheebadiva is fancied to make light of a 4lbs penalty in the Tom Carroll Memorial Handicap Chase. She scored by eight lengths at Thurles last time and will go up by a lot more than today’s extra.
Noel Meade has prospects of a double at Fairyhouse today, starting with The Ethiopian in the New Year Maiden Hurdle. The ex-Ballydoyle inmate made a smashing start over flights at Leopardstown, third to Won In The Dark in a Grade 1, and this is a weak race. Heron’s Flight can do the business for Meade in the Beginners Chase. He only got to the first on his debut over fences at Punchestown and, hopefully, will have learnt from the experience, because he is easily the best horse in this line-up.
