Western Gale has plenty in his favour
You could hardly call him one of the most reliable horses in training and he arrives here on the back of a poor effort at Thurles last time.
But the selection has plenty in his favour now, getting weight off the previous winners and having his burden further reduced with talented claimer, Mark Bolger, aboard.
He was a strong order in the market at Thurles, contest won by Footy Facts, but hit the fourth fence hard and was always struggling afterwards, eventually being pulled up when out of contention coming away from the third last.
Prior to that, however, Western Gale had made a fine start over fences at Punchestown. Jumping for fun, he was finally run out of it close home and beaten three quarters of a length by Shazand. If stripping in that sort of mood, he will go close.
The relatively experienced Admiral Barry should take all the beating in the Green Fee Vouchers three-year-old Maiden Hurdle.
Eoin Griffin’s charge showed improved form when beaten half a length by Yield For No One at Punchestown a week ago and a repeat performance will be good enough.
Dessie Hughes’ Superior Ben is given a final chance in what is a hot looking Porters’ Saddlery Maiden Hurdle.
It was disappointing he could not resist the late surge of 20-1 shot Mr Warbucks at Galway, which was below the level shown earlier when runner-up behind Fisher Bridge at Punchestown.
Pandorama will surely go off odds-on to land the Monksfield Novice Hurdle at Navan tomorrow and Noel Meade’s imposing gelding may well prove unbeatable.
He has done everything asked of him in two bumpers and when winning over flights here last time and could, essentially, be anything.
But, at least to my way of thinking, Alpha Ridge has achieved more and was especially brilliant when scoring in a canter at Cork on his latest appearance. He gets preference, until we know better!
Chelsea Harbour, who seemed to be on really good terms with himself when taking a handicap hurdle in smooth style at Clonmel, gets the nod in a wide-open williamhill.ie Troytown Handicap Chase.
If the weekend is proving a punting disaster then we have every chance of a salvage operation in the getting out stakes, the Cusack Homes Bumper.
The nap falls on Noel Meade’s once-raced Roches Point, who created a favourable impression when going under by three parts of a length to Rhyl Accord at Down Royal.
