Diablo looks poised to strike
In testing condition, he was seventh of 19 finishers behind Waxies Dargle on that occasion and then wasn’t seen again until reappearing in a bumper on this track in May.
Backed from 10-1 to 13-2, Mr Diablo produced a fine performance to score by an impressive 13 lengths.
The five-year-old is readily preferred to Dessie Hughes’ Wrath Of Titans, who promised a little more than was delivered last season.
Most interesting contest on the card is the Ballymore Christmas Fair And Family Fun November Beginners Chase, which promises a fascinating clash between two useful novice hurdlers in Wounded Warrior and Shanahan’s Turn.
The latter was rated marginally the better over hurdles, ending last season with a creditable fifth to Nicky Henderson’s Beat That in a Grade 1 at the Punchestown festival.
The nod, however, falls on Wounded Warrior, winner of a bumper and a maiden hurdle last season and who shaped as if crying out for fences.
Noel Meade trains Wounded Warrior and his Chancol gets a hopeful vote in the Book New Year’s Eve Panoramic Restaurant Beginners Chase.
The five-year-old too won a bumper and maiden hurdle last campaign and it may be significant that his attentions are so quickly turned to fences.
Michael Hourigan’s Drumacoo is the choice in the two miles and six Go Racing In Kildare 2015 Maiden Hurdle.
He has experience over jumps, both as a point-to-pointer and hurdler, and displayed a good attitude when taking a modest bumper at Downpatrick 12 days ago.
