Go with Voler La Vedette
Colm Murphy’s charge is a cracking mare, who handles heavy ground particularly well and has the benefit of a recent outing.
The six-year-old warmed up for this test at Punchestown last month, cruising to a three lengths defeat of Star Wood, and that will surely have left her spot-on.
Solwhit won this at the first time of asking last season and has 1llbs in hand of the selection at the weights. He’s a tough, resolute customer and, if the market speaks in his favour, will obviously be hard to beat.
The Grade 2 Craddockstown Novice Chase has just six runners, but this holds promise of another lively affair, with the vote going to Realt Dubh.
He blotted his copybook when falling four out, when in front, in the contest won by Head Of The Posse at Galway, but prior to that at Navan was impressive when easily beating Sweeps Hill.
The high-class Noble Prince, who scored with plenty in hand on his debut over fences on this track, is the danger.
Noel Meade trains Realt Dubh and can also provide the answer to the Grade 3 Florida Pearl Novice Chase. A modest performer over flights, he turned in an excellent display first time out over fences when scoring easily at Punchestown last month.
A third Meade possibility is Joe Smooth in the Bumper. He performed way below expectations when a remote third to subsequent winner, Staying Article, on this track and is worth another chance.
At Punchestown today, Eoin Doyle’s Days Ahead is the nap choice in the Christmas Market three-year-old Hurdle.
He continues on the upgrade, doing his job in fine style at Gowran Park when beating Ember Jack and Silas Mariner.
Willie Mullins’ Zaidpour has long been something of a talking horse and is given a gentle introduction to jumping in the Punchestown Annual Membership Maiden Hurdle.
Formerly trained on the flat in France by Alain De Royer-Dupre, he won a maiden at Longchamp and is hard to oppose here.
Enda Bolger’s Arabella Boy gets the nod in the GAA Fundraisers Beginners Chase. He probably found the surface a trifle on the quick side when third behind Thegreatjohnbrowne and Bostons Angel, successful next time, at Punchestown 17 days ago.
It’s hard to hang your hat on any one horse at Cork tomorrow, but perhaps Elysian Rock, fourth behind Hampshire Express at Thurles, will oblige in the INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Beginners Chase.
