Shop Dj can make winning return to fences
The versatile seven-year-old has already shown some smart form at this game, but her latest two outings have been over flights and on the flat.
At Dundalk on the all-weather in February, she came back from a little break to justify favouritism in a two mile maiden.
It was a prelude to her tilting at windmills in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. That contest was, of course, won for the fourth time by Quevege, but Shop Dj ran a cracker to claim fifth spot.
The selection jumps, travels and has a touch of class, although one’s confidence would increase the more the ground dries out.
Cheltenham hero Salsify gets the vote to defy top weight in the Fairyhouse Steel Joseph R O’Reilly Memorial Hunters Chase. He benefited from a superb Colman Sweeney drive to win the Foxhunters at Cheltenham, beating Chapoturgeon by a length.
There is no doubt Salsify faces a stiff task here, possibly even more demanding than Cheltenham, but is a progressive young horse, who can prove equal to the test.
Davy Russell’s decision to ride Arnaud, in preference to Edeymi, in the Weatherbys’ Ireland GSB Hurdle is mildly surprising.
At Cheltenham, in the Fred Winter, Edeymi finished second to Une Artiste and had Arnaud three and a quarter lengths behind in fifth place.
As well as that Edeymi is now 3lbs better off, which makes the situation all the more puzzling. In any case Tony Martin has booked the talented Andrew Lynch for Edeymi and all logic dictates we go with him.
The featured Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase has a particularly tricky appearance, with the nod falling on Uncle Tom Cobley.
He ran a good race behind False Economy at Limerick and that horse was far from disgraced when third to Flemenstar in the Powers’ Gold Cup here on Sunday.
