Ideal opportunity for Noble Endeavor
Gordon Elliott’s charge boasts an official rating of 130 following his eye-catching second to Zaidpour in the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle in Navan last time.
And, a five-year-old Flemensfirth gelding, he has more scope for further improvement than any of his seven rivals.
Winner of a Leopardstowm bumper last January, when beating the high-class Windsor Park, Noble Endeavor shaped with promise behind Waxies Dargle on his hurdling debut before winning his maiden, around the inside track at Punchestown.
Disappointing in his final outing last season, behind Thunder And Roses in Navan, he stayed on in very encouraging style, although flattered by his proximity to easy winner Zaidpour on his seasonal bow in the ‘Lismullen’, when getting the better of 141-rated Darwins Fox for second spot.
Today’s rated event looks an ideal opportunity for Noble Endeavor, built to be a chaser, to return to the winner’s enclosure. And he’s preferred to the Gigginstown-owned pair Make A Track and Urticaire.
Robert Tyner will be expected win the opening mares maiden hurdle with the J P McManus-owned A Hardy Nailer.
Successful at Lemonfield and winner of a point-to-point bumper at Tipperary in May, this five-year-old made a hugely encouraging start over hurdles in Mallow less than three weeks ago, when chasing home the high-class Black Hercules.
Although no match for the winner, she finished twenty-four lengths clear of the remainder and, with improvement likely, she sets a decent standard here.
Jessica Harrington’s Keppols Queen, admittedly outclassed when runner-up to Shaneshill at Fairyhouse, and Captain Carol looks the biggest threats.
And the Charles Byrnes-trained Leave St Dawn, which landed a tidy gamble in Thurles last week, should be another winner for J P McManus in the Powerstown Handicap Hurdle. Raised 16lb. for his wide-margin Thurles success, Davy Russell’s mount runs here under a mandatory 6lb. penalty and is difficult to oppose.
