Brog looks the business in Bumper
The Joe Crowley-trained five-year-old made a favourable impression when scoring at the Punchestown Festival in May and is a reasonably confident choice to take his score to two from two.
Quietly supported in the market at Punchestown, he didn’t disappoint, buckling down in fine style when the need was greatest.
Brog An Ri travelled sweetly throughout and turned off the final bend with lots in the tank. But he then enjoyed far from a clear passage, before sweeping home late to score going away by three parts of a length.
Neither the second or third have run since, but the fourth, Milbig Lass, beaten six and a half lengths, returned to Punchestown to score subsequently.
The Champion Lettings Novice Hurdle is one of the more interesting contests on the programme, bringing together some useful enough sorts.
Eric McNamara’s Fair Gale landed some decent wagers, when making a successful debut over flights at Cork, beating Totoman by a hard-earned half a length.
In theory, Totoman should reverse placings on 7lbs better terms, but Fair Gale’s jumping left a lot to be desired and improvement in that department can see him emerge the better again.
The vote, however, goes to Robbie Hennessy’s Coliseum, who stepped well up on previous efforts at Limerick last time. He went off a totally unconsidered 33-1 shot, but ran a cracker to finish a length and a half runner-up behind The Fist Of God, in what looked a decent race.
A little on Vica Pota may not miss the mark by a whole pile in the O’Neills’ Supporting Family Day Handicap. Beaten into second by Havetoavit at Roscommon, the form was boosted when the third, Osirixamix, went in at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.
At Limerick tomorrow take a chance on Tom Taaffe’s Schindler’s Tune in the second section of the Twilight Racing Beginners Chase, easily the most competitive of the two divisions.
He made his debut over fences at Tipperary last month, when no match for Farinelli. The selection, however, jumped and travelled nicely for most of the journey, giving the impression he might come on plenty for the much-needed outing.
The first division is best left to The God Of Love, who produced a decent effort, under top weight, when a close sixth to Cabin Point in a handicap hurdle at Gowran Park.
At Sligo tomorrow, Christy Roche’s Stakers, a promising third to Donnas Palm at Navan back in September and given lots of time to mature, can win the Bumper.
