Sweet My Lord poised to recoup losses
Winner of his only start in France, a three-year-old bumper in Nantes, last October, the Willie Mullins-trained gelding must be strongly fancied to recoup losses incurred on his Irish debut at Naas last month.
Sent off 6/4 favourite for a twenty-five runner maiden hurdle and ridden by Ruby Walsh, Sweet My Lord came from well off the pace to go second but looked unlikely to threaten Some Slam when crashing at the final flight.
On that occasion, Sweet My Lord was facing older rivals. So the drop into four-year-old company today gives him an ideal opportunity to open his hurdling account, in the hands of Paul Townend. Chief threat should be Austin Leahy’s charge Headly’s Bridge, runner-up to Jerry’s Agent at Gowran Park.
The Robert Tyner-trained Pay The Bounty, no match for Caduceus at Naas last time, has been found an ideal opportunity to get off the mark over hurdles in the Munster Waste Management Maiden Hurdle.
And Anshan Dreams, runner-up to the classy Loosen My Load over course and distance last June, is preferred to Willie Mullins’ Octavin in the bumper.
The four-day Irish Grand National meeting opens at Fairyhouse tomorrow. And the formidable partnership of Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins might double-up with Blackstairmountain and Morning Supreme.
An impressive winner on his hurdling debut at Punchestown, Blackstairimountain faded to finish tenth behind Menorah in the Supreme Novices at Cheltenham, but might prove best in the Grade 2 Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Novice Hurdle.
The Mullins runner faces another tough task against Luska Lad and Loosen My Load but might possess too much speed for them.
Similarly, Morning Supreme has a big chance of retaining her unbeaten record over hurdles in the Grade 3 Irish Stallion farms Mares Novice Hurdle.
A free-running front-runner, Morning Supreme impressed when beating Blazing Tempo and previously unbeaten For Bill at Limerick last time and, despite tackling a new, longer trip in very heavy ground, might be capable of outclassing her fifteen rivals.
In the featured Powers Gold Cup (Grade 1), Mullins runs both Shakervilz (Ruby Walsh) and Kempes (Tony McCoy), now owned by JP McManus.
Roberto Goldback has solid firm claims. But I’ll take a chance with the classy Zaarito, whose jumping has let him down in three of his six starts over fences.
An easy winner at Naas last time, jumping remains a concern. But a clear round for Colm Murphy’s gelding should see him go close.
