Make it Majestic
The Dermot Weld-trained gelding is making a quick reappearance after disappointing, under top-weight of ten stone, in the Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh on Sunday.
But, with Ruby Walsh in the saddle, the six-year-old is expected to outclass his ten rivals in the first chase run at Sligo since August 1998.
Successful on his chasing debut at Leopardstown back in January, Majestic Concorde ran his best race over fences when runner-up to Deutschland at Leopardstown in March. He was then trained for the William Hill Galway Plate but was a late withdrawal.
Given a short break, he ran a solid race to finish third behind Silverhand and Essex in a Curragh handicap before finishing only fifteenth in Sunday’s marathon handicap in which Silverhand finished second.
Trainer Weld must be happy that the son of Definite Article has come out of Sunday’s race well and he’s confident choice, the only reservation being yesterday’s rain which caused a significant change in ground conditions.
If Majestic Concorde fails to act on the rain-softened ground, Maureen Danagher’s Rathmore Castle, returning after a ten-month break, is probably best-placed to take advantage.
Two recent winners, Stretch The Truth and King Ali, look poised to follow-up in the handicap action.
The Tom Taaffe-trained Stretch The Truth came good at Ballinrobe, beating Gallery Man, which did the form no harm when second at Roscommon on Monday. Raised 5lb. Barry Geraghty’s mount might be good enough to follow-up.
King Ali, a wide-margin winner of his last two races, over hurdles at Galway and fences at Clonmel on Sunday, sets the standard in the Watch This Race Live Betfair Handicap Chase.
Sent to the front soon after half-way on both occasions, Mick Darcy’s mount bolted up in Clonmel in an incident-filled race. Penalised only 4lb., he’s well ahead of the handicapper and should prove tough to beat.
