Itsallaracket set for quick double
The selection has already shown a liking for this track, making an impressive debut here in November when landing a bumper by eight lengths.
She looked a possible star of the future then and, hardly surprisingly, was a warm favourite when travelling to Folkestone for a winners’ bumper in early December.
But Itsallaracket ran no sort of race and was tailed off when pulled up over two furlongs from home.
The daughter of Rudimentary reappeared at Clonmel six days ago and produced an effort which was much more in keeping with her initial Downpatrick display.
She attacked her hurdles with gusto and raced with enthusiasm, before drawing right away from hot-pot Earth Mother in the straight to score by eight lengths.
Hello Kitty, who is down in class, following her third to Lurgan and Healys Bar at Thurles, is the danger.
An Innocent Man, perhaps not one to be entirely trusted, with three seconds to his credit, is still the horse to beat in the Martinstown Opportunity Maiden Hurdle.
Grabbed late by Cousin Vinny first time up at Punchestown, we can be fairly certain he is unlikely to ever get as close to Willie Mullins’ star again.
Nevertheless, Noel Meade’s gelding performed solidly when six lengths runner-up behind Solstice Knight at Navan last week and there is nothing of that calibre in this field.
An Innocent Man was noted doing all his best work at the end and an extra two and a half furlongs can only work in his favour.
Feature event is the wide-open Powers’ Ulster Grand National EBF Handicap Chase, with the nod falling on Tawnies.
Thomas O’Leary has his inmates in good shape and Tawnies had many of these rivals behind when second to Forest Leaves in the Grand National Trial, over today’s stamina-sapping trip, at Punchestown.
Barker, having a first outing for Willie Mullins, gets the vote in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Novice Chase.
He has been mostly out of form since winning the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown over a year ago and, hopefully, Mullins has nursed him back to his best.
