Innocent Man set to go one better
Noel Meade’s five-year-old made an excellent start at Punchestown in February and if, building on that, has to go close.
Light in the market, the selection produced a decent effort to finish second, beaten a length and a quarter, to Cousin Vinny, who went on to give the form a massive boost when scoring at the Cheltenham Festival.
It would be wrong to get too carried away with that, because the Punchestown race hasn’t worked out all that well in other areas.
Nevertheless, there was a lot to like about the way An Innocent Man shaped and he’s very much the one to beat now.
Nothing went right for Cailin Alainn in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse and she is given a spin over flights in the Swords Hurdle.
Prior to the National, she came back to something approaching her best, beating ill-fated Alexander Taipan over fences at Thurles. Unpenalised, Cailin Alainn gets the vote, even if the trip is possibly on the short side.
At Tramore tomorrow, Willie Mullins’ Itsmylife rates a good bet in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Beaten by Spitfire Sortie at Leopardstown and Polly Massini at Cork, the imposing six-year-old looks very much on the upgrade.
The Waterford and Tramore Directors’ Chase is probably best left to Michael O’Brien’s Le Toscan.
He was last seen at Leopardstown some three months ago when a disappointing ninth of nine finishers behind Mister Top Notch in the Pierse Handicap Chase.
But he is a more than useful horse at his best and, given a decent break by his shrewd handler, may well strip fresh and fancied for this test.
Shirley Casper can prove the safest wager on a devilishly difficult programme at the Curragh tomorrow. She was making a belated seasonal debut when runner-up behind Oscar Rebel over hurdles at Fairyhouse last month and can only come on a bundle for the outing.
US Ranger gets the nod in the Castlemartin and Louviere Gladness Stakes. Trained in France when second behind Tariq in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, he then came to Ireland and Aidan O’Brien.
The son of Danzig won in smooth style at the Curragh and wasn’t disgraced subsequently when fourth in a Group 1 at Longchamp.
