The Ice Meister can freeze out rivals
The form book tells us he won’t beat Jessica Harrington’s Jack Naylor, but this game is never quite as simple as that.
The pair clashed over six furlongs at Fairyhouse last month, Jack Naylor going off a well-backed favourite to cope with 13 rivals.
In the end, however, she was run out of it close home and beaten a neck into second by 20-1 shot, Stella Street.
The Ice Meister, doing all of his best work at the finish, was a further two lengths behind in fourth. The contest has been working out nicely with Ohh Lala (third) and Case Statement (ninth) winning in the meantime.
In any case, The Ice Meister now gets the vote, on the basis he was making his debut at Fairyhouse, unlike Jack Naylor, and an extra furlong can only work in his favour.
David Wachman’s Resiliency, who has plenty to prove, is the choice in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden.
He had his first start at Dundalk in April, chasing home Aidan O’Brien’s hot pot, Belisarius. Resiliency then looked a winner in waiting, especially when the third, Captain Teemo, went on to score next time.
But the selection ran no sort of race at Navan afterwards, trailing in a remote eighth of ten behind John Constable. That was just too bad to be true and he is worth another chance.
Star Power, another who has a bit to prove, is also given the benefit of the doubt in the www.kilkennypembrokehotel.com Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park today.
He disappointed somewhat when only fifth to Cape Glory at Punchestown last time, but the surface may just have been a trifle on the soft side for him.
Tony Martin’s The Plan Man gets the vote in the Holden Plant Rentals Hurdle. He was beaten into second by Draycott Place at Limerick, over two miles and three, and can go one better, down in trip and class.
