Longer trip to suit Egyptian Warrior
Aidan O’Brien’s charge, a reasonable sort on the flat, seems to have taken quite nicely to the jumping game.
He had his second outing over flights at Listowel last month and responded well to Tony McCoy’s urgings to beat Tom’s Article by two and a half lengths.
The form received a minor boost when Tom’s Article won a moderate contest at Navan last Saturday.
Egyptian Warrior was always regarded as a stayer on the level and, though a lot more is required here, compared to Listowel, can progress for stepping up another half a mile in trip.
The Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Captain Christy Rated Novice Chase is a tight affair, despite the fact there are only five possibilities. The nod falls on Noel Meade’s Bose Ikard, who is in the form of his life and seeking a four-timer.
He won in a canter over fences at Roscommon and followed with two successes over hurdles, at Bellewstown and Down Royal. The six-year-old is not best favoured by the weights, but does shape as the horse with the most scope for improvement.
Collen Beag gets the vote in the opening Laganore Maiden Hurdle. She was third behind two useful sorts in Morning Run and subsequent winner, Allez Encore, in a winners’ bumper at Wexford last time.
Prior to that the selection made a solid start over jumps when third to Indian Fairy and Millie Le Bach, also a winner in the meantime, at Tramore.
