Green Mile looks the part in National
To my way of thinking he is the best weighted horse in the contest, but the downside is that the ground is not going to be ideal.
The six-year-old is very versatile and is equally at home over fences, hurdles and on the flat. He does have to race from 2lbs out of the handicap, but that’s not much of a worry for a youngster rapidly on the upgrade.
Green Mile warmed up for this with a game performance in the Ulster Cesarewitch at Downpatrick, staying on doggedly to beat Princess Nicole by a neck.
Mister Top Notch, the class act of the race, surely has it all to do off top weight, on this is his seasonal debut.
Last year’s winner Ponmeoath, fresh from a spin over flights of late, has to be on the short-list, running off a mark 8lbs higher than 12 months ago.
Dour stayer A New Story has to come into the reckoning, as does Oulart, who will revel in the surface.
Oscar Time gets the nap to take the Ballygarry House Hotel Novice Hurdle. He developed into a smart sort last season, putting up his best effort when easily taking a winners’ race at Limerick in April.
The ground will not be a problem and, hopefully, the market will speak in his favour, considering this will be the seven-year-old’s first outing for 146 days.
Niall Madden’s Salesin should go close in the opening Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health Maiden Hurdle.
He jumped well when a close third behind South Wing and Root Cause at Clonmel and a repeat of that should see him go close.
Quintana, almost certainly best caught fresh, could land the John F McGuire Beginners Chase for Dusty Sheehy.
