Follow Noble Crusader
Trained by Dermot Weld, he’s clearly no star, but could be good enough to deliver in a modest contest.
He’s won a Galway bumper and over flights here, but consistency has never been a strong point with the six-year-old.
Nevertheless, there is cause for optimism, on the basis that he performed with some promise when fifth to Whatever Next at the Galway Festival in late July.
Two other factors are also of significance, the fact Noble Crusader will now be meeting a fast surface and is fitted with blinkers for the first time.
The puzzling Coliseum is given a final chance in the Tayto Maiden Hurdle. His latest two efforts, at Bellewstown and Tramore, have been most disappointing.
But this is a poor race and if Robbie Hennessy’s charge could reproduce his second behind The Fist Of God at Limerick in June, he would certainly make short work of these.
Bottom line is if Coliseum cannot be competitive in this league then he’s essentially a horse without a future!
Eric McNamara’s Alabama Banjo gets the nod in the Britvic Ni Beginners Chase. He was beaten three parts of a length into second by Francis Du Mesnil at Listowel last week and that entitles him to the vote in another bad heat.
The Bumper will take little winning, with the nod falling on Conor O’Dwyer’s moderate Wee Marty, six lengths second behind Pagan Lightning on this track on his latest appearance.
