Zaidpour looks well up to the task in Trial
He won the two-mile test in a canter a year ago, but this is a far better renewal and a lot more will be required now. The versatile seven-year-old, however, is well up to the task and fancied to concede weight all round.
To emphasise his versatility, the selection’s latest two outings have been over three miles — finishing second behind Bog Warrior here and to Monksland at Leopardstown.
Prior to those efforts, Zaidpour won the two and a half mile Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse and, of course, chased home Hurricane Fly over the minimum trip at the Punchestown festival in April.
Mullins’ French-import, Djakadam, is the nap choice in the Shantou At Burgage Maiden Hurdle, having been decidedly unlucky on his Irish debut at Thurles last month.
He looked sure to score jumping the final flight, but stumbled badly at the back of the obstacle, dislodging Ruby Walsh.
That was a poor enough contest, won by Kilmainham, who finished seven lengths second behind Luke’s Benefit in a handicap at Thurles on Wednesday.
Djakadam, however, shaped like a horse who would improve plenty with racing and, hopefully, such thinking will prove reasonably accurate.
Eoin Doyle’s Lookoutnow is the one to beat in the second division of the handicap hurdle. He was seriously impressive when taking a handicap chase by 16 lengths at Gowran Park and returns to hurdles off a mark 18lbs lower than his current rating over fences.
The first division of the same race may be best left to Sumkindasuprstar, who wasn’t disgraced when fifth to Jadanli in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran last time. He ran off 124 that day and his rating as a hurdler is a paltry 95.
Prunella Dobbs’ Romantic Fashion is the choice in the second division of the Ronan Lawlor Memorial Mares’ Bumper.
She was taking on a pair of smart geldings first time out at Leopardstown, when third behind Tony Martin’s Blackmail and Willie Mullins’ Sizing Chile.
