Oscar the wise choice

Dessie Hughes’ Wise Oscar is the nap choice in the Happy St Valentine’s Day Handicap Chase on a moderate six-race card at Thurles this afternoon, should the meeting survive an 8am inspection.

The nine-year-old will be having just a third run for Hughes and seems to have improved significantly for his move to the Curragh trainer.

His first outing saw him chase home Bog Warrior at Fairyhouse over hurdles and he stuck to that game next time back at Fairyhouse, on New Year’s Day.

The selection bolted in, powering ahead over the second last to score by eight lengths. Wise Oscar’s current rating over flights is now 124 and he runs here of a mark no less than 23 lbs below that, which speaks for itself.

The modest Mouse Morris-trained Carry Each Other gets the nod in the Devil’s Bit Beginners Chase.

This is a woeful race and his fourth behind Spot The Boss in the Grand National Trial at Fairyhouse last time gives him a big chance.

Carry Each Other ran really well for a long way and dropping back seven furlongs in trip looks a major plus.

Eoghan O’Grady’s Clashnabroook should go close in the Horse And Jockey Handicap Chase. He ran a cracker when runner-up behind Colbert Station over flights at Punchestown and returns to chasing off a mark 12lbs lower.

The Miceal Fitzgibbon Memorial EBF Mares’ Novice Chase is tricky, but may be best left to Avondhu Lady. She was fourth behind Noras Fancy in a Grade 2 here on her latest appearance and this looks somewhat easier.