Casey Jones set for quick compensation

CASEY JONES, making a quick reappearance after departing the scene early on his debut over fences at Gowran Park eight days ago, gets the nap in the Book Online Beginners Chase at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

You would have to say Noel Meade’s charge was desperately unlucky at Gowran. He bounded across the first four obstacles and was then literally knocked over when The Gloves Are Off jumped to his right at the fifth, cannoning into the selection.

Casey Jones was easily the best of these over flights and, hopefully, will have a lot more luck in running on this occasion.

There aren’t too many other possibilities on a competitive programme, but one who should go close is Colm Murphy’s once-raced Voler La Vedette in the Mares Bumper.

She made a very promising start at Punchestown in May, third behind two smart horses in New Phase and Door Boy. The seventh, Definite Deploy, won next time.

Feature event at Limerick tomorrow is the ladbrokes.com Munster National, with Paul Nicholls firing his opening salvo, with Dear Villez, of a season which is likely to see him launch a concerted attack on many of the big Irish prizes.

It isn’t easy to work out how Dear Villez fits into the scheme of things here, but there has to be a real possibility he has got in with a bit to spare off 10-12.

The six-year-old jumps for fun, is clearly progressive and the fact alone is the choice from this powerful yard has to have him on the short-list.

Mister Top Notch has plenty to do off top weight, while Ponmeoath has paid for his impressive display in the Kerry National at Listowel, going up 10lbs.

If there is a really well handicapped horse in the contest then Skip Two, sure to be all the better for a spin at Clonmel, is the most likely, but the final nod has to fall on Dear Villez.

Nicholls also runs Marodima in the Grade 3 PricewaterhouseCoopers Chase and he has to be respected. But he is a free-running sort, who doesn’t always find a lot off the bridle.

Preference is for Tom Taaffe’s Finger Onthe Pulse, winner of the Jewson Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and in receipt of a valuable 8lbs from Marodima.

The mud-loving Perfect Reward, a creditable second behind Sesenta in a handicap at Listowel, gets the vote in the Newenham Mulligan Novice Hurdle.

Beau Michael, fresh from an outing on the level at Navan on Wednesday, is the one to beat in the Michael Punch and Partners’ Hurdle.

The nap tomorrow falls on Schindler’s Gold in the Profile Systems Ltd Handicap Hurdle at Naas. He was beaten three lengths into second by Montero at Navan, but was attempting a hard task giving that useful sort 16lbs.