Lightly-raced Popcorn to pounce in hurdle
The lightly-raced eight-year-old should now be ready to strike over jumps, having run two promising races of late.
At Punchestown in February, he ran well-backed favourite, Tofino Bay, to a neck and later that month produced another decent effort.
Again, he had to settle for second, going under by two lengths to Tony Martin’s Gift Of Dgab at Navan, but doesn’t face anything of that calibre now.
Mullins’ Killultagh Queen is the nap choice in the opening Templemore Beginners Chase, although her travels in the market may well prove all important.
Killultagh Queen’s latest outing was at Fairyhouse at the end of January and a reproduction of her display then, beaten a head by Montan, will certainly make the mare hard to beat now.
Following that, however, she was due to run at Thurles on February 10. That was a race confined to her own sex and she appeared to have the clear winning of it.
The selection, though, was a big drifter in the ring that day, before being withdrawn lame at the start. Mullins clearly wouldn’t risk her if all wasn’t in order and she surely remains a winner in waiting!
Dual winner, Ainm Spartacus, may prove a tough enough nut to crack in the Moycarkey Hurdle. The problem is he is not the most consistent of sorts and the rapidly drying ground is hardly in his favour.
Preference is for Launchpad, who indicated he is at least capable of winning a little race such as this when third behind the older pair, Bagber and Princeton Plains, at Gowran Park.
He should relish the surface, having won on the flat at Windsor when partnered by Kieren Fallon for Luca Cumani.
The Paddy Graham Order Of Malta Maiden Hurdle may be best left to Portrait King, who was outclassed when runner-up behind the smart Lambro at Naas.
