Stick with Riverside City
Gordon Elliott’s charge won his first ever race when taking a maiden at Gowran Park last month and will certainly have to step up on the bare form of that display.
A well backed 5-4 favourite, Riverside City scrambled home half a length in front of the modest Give Her Bach. But that was the selection’s first outing since Leopardstown at Christmas and he is entitled to come on plenty.
Grand Partner and Eight Till Late, both maiden winners last time, are entitled to respect, but the sweet-jumping Riverside City is preferred.
Mark Walsh rides the five-year-old and he is owned by J P McManus. The pair can also combine to land the Paddy Smyth Memorial Maiden Hurdle with the Jessica Harrington-trained Rae’s Creek.
It will be Rae’s Creek’s first time over jumps. He ran some solid races on the flat last season, without winning, but made no mistake on his reappearance on this track in May when easily beating the useful Dalasiri by three and a half lengths over a mile and a half.
The New Approach gelding stays, has a touch of class and shapes as if he could have a real future at this game!
The Bumper may be best left to Run Fly Run, undoubtedly moderate by trainer Willie Mullins’ standards.
Nevertheless, Run Fly Run improved noticeably on her initial effort when second to Dancing Meadows at Ballinrobe last time, with one of her main challengers now, Rathmuck Native, just a head away in third.
