Vibes positive for Libano
The four-year-old, a prolific winner in Italy before joining Dermot Weld, is proven in heavy ground and will be fancied to confirm form with Rayeni, which be beat in the listed Knockaire Stakes at Leopardstown on the final day of the flat season last November.
On that occasion, Libano dictated the pace and sealed victory turning for home, beating the John Oxx-trained runner-up, second to Mastercraftsman in the Irish 2,000 Guineas last May, by two lengths.
The Weld string began to hit form last weekend and following an upbeat bulletin about Libano’s current well-being, he might be capable of confirming that Leopardstown form with Rayeni.
The undoubted star of tomorrow’s action will be last year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory, which is set to make his seasonal debut in the listed Alleged Stakes. Runner-up to Sea The Stars in the Irish Champion Stakes and sixth to John Oxx’s star in the ‘Arc’, Fame And Glory looks sure to make his mark in the top ten-furlong and mile and a half races this year. And, although he’ll be well short of peak fitness tomorrow, he still looks a cut above his nine rivals.
Alfred Nobel, a Group 1 winning juvenile, will reappear in the listed Loughbrown Stakes, with an obvious chance. But he might not cope with Dermot Weld’s Stunning View, which bypassed the recent Guineas trial at Leopardstown and will be in receipt of 7lb. from the Ballydoyle colt here.
At Limerick tomorrow, Hidden Universe, so impressive on his debut at Leopardstown before failing to figure in the champion bumper at Cheltenham, stands out in the Kevin McManus Bookmaker Pro-Am Flat Race.
Jagoes Mills, an early casualty in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse, might get the better of another Fairyhouse faller Across The Bay in the Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase.
The Willie Mullins-trained Killultagh Queen, no match for the classy For Bill at Clonmel last time, has an ideal opportunity to repeat a course and distance win at Christmas in the Student Raceday Mares Hurdle. Davy Russell has prospects on Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud Uncle Tom Cobley in the Beamish Stout Hurdle.
