Birzali looks good for openers

Having Davy Russell on your side has been paying rich dividends for quite a while now and he can again reward his numerous supporters by guiding Birzali to success in the opening Follow Kilbeggan On Facebook Maiden Hurdle at the Co Westmeath track tonight.

Birzali is proving a bit frustrating, but looked to have benefited from being afforded a decent break on his reappearance at Down Royal last month.

Going off an easy to back 10-1 shot, he performed with real promise to finish two lengths second behind Mount Colah.

The form has been working out nicely. Mount Colah stepped up in class to take a winners’ race at Sligo last Sunday, while the fifth at Down Royal, Wall Street Wally, has since scored at Downpatrick.

Feature event is the very valuable Gigginstown House Midlands National Handicap Chase and the vote here goes to Caim Hill.

Philip Fenton’s charge looks nicely weighted and indicated he’s in good shape right now with a game effort to score on the flat at Limerick last time.

Gordon Elliott’s Some Fiddle is ordinary, but probably good enough to squeeze through the Tom McCormack Memorial Cup Mares’ Maiden Hurdle, having finished with a flourish when chasing home Wall Street Wally at Downpatrick a week ago.

Chase The Favourite, who showed a liking for Kilbeggan when landing a maiden hurdle here on her latest appearance, gets the nod to make a winning debut over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Beginners Chase.

* Tomorrow’s meeting at the Curragh is subject to a precautionary inspection at 7am today.

The opening day of the Darley Irish Oaks meeting is under threat due to recent rain.

With the ground already heavy, further rain yesterday morning resulted in Curragh manager Paul Hensey announcing an early check.

Tomorrow’s feature is the Group Three KARE Race Day Minstrel Stakes and if the meeting falls it will move to Sunday, replacing the O’Briens Wines Handicap.