High draw should not hinder Hail
Although the Ballydoyle ‘second-string’ for his recent debut in Navan, Hail attracted plenty of support and shaped with considerable promise when finishing third to Quote Of The Day.
On paper, his eight lengths defeat constitutes modest enough form. But, judging by the way he travelled and improved to challenge, before clearly tiring in the very testing conditions, this Galileo colt possesses the ability to get off the mark in a maiden of this standard.
Being drawn 15 won’t help Hail’s cause. But, over an extended mile, Joseph O’Brien will have plenty of time to get his mount settled before getting involved. And, with plenty of improvement expected from his debut run at Navan, Hail should prove very tough to beat.
The O’Briens might also land the featured corkracecourse.ie Navigation Stakes, a listed event over an extended mile, with the consistent three-year-old filly Look At Me.
Without a win since scoring on her debut at Fairyhouse last September, Look At Me has run consistently at listed level in recent starts, chasing home Galileo’s Choice in a Group 3 at Leopardstown last month.
Since then, she finished fourth to Flowers Of Spring at Gowran Park and, last time, appeared to get bogged down in the bad ground when fifth to Anam Allta at Tipperary.
Although facing some tough older rivals, notably recent Dundalk winner Duff and Stunning View, Look At Me might be capable of earning a valuable listed bracket.
Cork will stage a good jumps card tomorrow, when Cheltenham Festival victor First Lieutenant will be expected to follow-up his chasing debut win in Tipperary by landing the Irish Stallion Farms Novice Chase.
The Mouse Morris-trained six-year-old jumped well in Tipperary, although pecking at the last, and beat the experienced Slieveardagh convincingly. He looks an exciting prospect and, with Davy Russell on board again, should triumph again.
On a busy weekend of domestic action, the versatile Princeton Plains, winner of a valuable handicap hurdle at Listowel last time, makes plenty of appeal in the valuable October Handicap in Naas tomorrow.
And the Dessie Hughes-trained White Star Line stands out in today’s Ring Of Fire Beginners Chase at Downpatrick today.
