Weekend tips: Concertista can collect in Mares’ Champion

Concertista was just beaten by Black Tears at Cheltenham. Picture: Healy Racing

Concertista was touched off in the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but has a superb opportunity to bounce straight back to winning ways in the Grade 1 Coolmore Kew Gardens Irish EBF Mares’ Champion Hurdle.

A deeply impressive winner of the mares’ novice at last year’s Cheltenham meeting, she made a winning start to this term, beating Minella Melody, and followed up against the same mare on her only other outing prior to her Prestbury return.

At Cheltenham, she lost out in a battle with Black Tears, who had finished third behind her when they clashed at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.

Essentially, she was somewhat disappointing, but still ran to a high level and a repeat of that should be more than enough to beat stablemate Stormy Ireland, who made a winning start on her return for Closutton.

Skyace won a Grade 2 at Fairyhouse and that form received a boost when runner-up Gauloise won a Grade 1 here on Thursday. She has had a busy season and if none the wore for the campaign, she can reach the frame.

Zanahiyr can reverse Triumph Hurdle form with Quilixios when they renew rivalry in the Grade 1 Ballymore Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle.

The Cullentra House runner was too keen through the Cheltenham race and clearly not suited by the somewhat modest pace. Despite being free, he finished the race looking as though he had plenty more to give.

He is much better than the bare form of that fourth-place finish, should be suited by this quick two-mile trip, and can get back to winning ways. Quilixios, of course, must be given maximum respect.

Haut En Couleurs finished two places behind Quilixios and one in front of Zanahiyr in the Triumph Hurdle and that form can be upgraded because he was making his stable debut, having won a hurdle on his only outing in France, in October.

With the Willie Mullins stable in such brilliant form, there is no telling just how much he can improve.

Anthony Honeyball had a winner here earlier in the week and has another likely type in the shape of Sam Brown, who runs in the Palmerstown house Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase.

A very lightly raced nine-year-old, he has had just one run this season, and that resulted in a fine effort behind Imperial Aura. Clearly, he has had plenty of issues but connections tend to have him spot-on for his rare visits to the track. The trip suits, the recent rain is in his favour, and he has leading claims.

TOMMY LYONS

2.15 MY HOMETOWN

2.50 BRACE YOURSELF

3.20 CONCERTISTA (NAP)

4.00 ZANAHIYR (NB)

4.30 SAM BROWN

5.05 GABYNAKO

5.40 SPRUCED UP

6.10 GUILY BILLY

NEXT BEST

2.15 NEVERUSHACON

2.50 EUROBOT

3.20 SKYACE

4.00 QUILIXIOS

4.30 CASTLE OLIVER

5.05 CHATHAM STREET LAD

5.40 MERRY POPPINS

6.10 GOLDEN WONDER’S